Interieur van het stadhuis te Utrecht 1900 - 1920

This photograph of the interior of the town hall in Utrecht, by Coenradus Hendrikus Johannes Reijers, captures a quiet corner of civic life. I wonder what it was like to set up this shot? To be there, camera in hand, composing the scene within the viewfinder? The photograph, with its muted tones, offers a glimpse into the formal space, heavy with carved wood and serious intent. I can almost hear the echoes of hushed conversations and the rustle of papers. There's a stillness here, but also a sense of history being made. The dark wood paneling is a solid presence; it looms over the imagined municipal workers who sat here, day in, day out, governing the city. There are, like, tiny statues, too, that remind me of others I've seen in the Rijksmuseum. Reijers is in conversation with these artists and times. It's a moment frozen in time, inviting us to reflect on the relationship between space, power, and representation.