Zitting van het hof van assisen 1830

Eugène Verboeckhoven made this etching, titled 'Zitting van het hof van assisen,' in Belgium in the 1800s. It depicts a session of the court of assizes. The composition offers a glimpse into the architecture of justice, with the judges, lawyers, and observers arranged in a rigid hierarchy. The court of assizes played a crucial role in the 19th-century Belgian legal system. The image suggests questions about power, class, and the spectacle of justice. Courtrooms were public spaces where social norms were reinforced, but also sometimes challenged. To understand this image, the historian would need to consult legal archives, newspapers, and other sources to better understand the social and political context of the Belgian court system in the 19th century. The true meaning of this artwork is something that depends on its social and institutional context.