Gezicht op het Warandepark met op de achtergrond het Koningsplein in Brussel 1866 - 1870

Jules Hippolyte Quéval captured this stereograph, "Gezicht op het Warandepark met op de achtergrond het Koningsplein in Brussel," using photography, a medium that was in its relative infancy. Quéval's photograph freezes a carefully constructed vista, typical of the era's obsession with order and control. The neatly arranged park, leading to the regal Koningsplein, embodies the values of the ruling class and their vision of an ideal, structured society. Consider that the park itself was a site of social stratification, a place where class distinctions were both performed and reinforced. Its manicured lawns and pathways were designed to offer a space of leisure, but this leisure was not equally accessible to all. This image serves as a reminder of the complex layers of power and privilege embedded in seemingly innocent landscapes. The image evokes a sense of serene authority, but it also prompts us to consider what lies beyond the frame.