Gezicht op de kasteelruïne van Asten 1890 - 1920

This photograph shows the castle ruins of Asten, and was produced by the Dutch heritage organisation 'Monumentenzorg'. Here we see the image of a ruined castle, overgrown by weeds. We should consider the role of a heritage organisation in taking such photographs. 'Monumentenzorg' translates as 'monument care', so there is an element of care in the image. But also, the ruin is presented for official inspection. This act of documentation reflects a social impulse towards conservation of historical sites that emerged in the late 19th century. To understand the image more fully, we would need to know more about the social policies in the Netherlands at the time. Government archives can tell us more about these institutional practices of ‘monument care’. This in turn gives us a better understanding of the relationship between culture, heritage, and national identity.