Benedenstoomgemaal met Centrifugaalpompen / Kralingen den 14 Mei 1869 Possibly 1869

Jacobus van Gorkom Junior made this albumen print of the Benedenstoomgemaal pumping station with centrifugal pumps in Kralingen, the Netherlands, on May 14th, 1869. This photograph gives us insight into the Dutch engineering projects of the 19th century, specifically regarding the ongoing struggle against flooding. Van Gorkom’s photograph highlights the modernity of the pumping station, which was technologically advanced for its time. The image also shows the institutional investment in water management, as these pumping stations were publicly funded works. These images were part of a broader phenomenon of the era as photography provided a means of documenting and celebrating such infrastructure projects, reinforcing a sense of national pride and progress. As historians of art, we seek to understand the cultural and historical context of images like this one, using resources such as engineering records, government documents, and local histories. This helps us interpret the photograph not merely as a technical record but as a cultural artifact that reflects the values and priorities of its time.