Gezicht op het Academiegebouw van de Universiteit Leiden 1882 - 1914

This is Hendrik Jonker's photograph of the Academiegebouw of Leiden University. Although undated, we can appreciate it as a moment captured through the lens of 19th-century Dutch society. The image presents a stately building reflected in the still waters of a canal, but it is also a symbol of knowledge and power, which were often limited by gender, race, and class. The figures on the bridge seem to gaze upon this institution, perhaps aspiring to be part of it. The presence of this building raises questions about who has access to knowledge and who is excluded. Consider what it meant to depict a place of learning during a time when access to education was far from universal. This image prompts us to reflect on the ongoing struggle for equitable access to knowledge and the ways in which institutions shape our identities and opportunities.