Gezicht op Château de Belle-Maison te Marchin before 1890

This photograph of the Château de Belle-Maison in Marchin, Belgium, was made by Victor Gaillard, likely sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The image seems at first like a straightforward depiction of a wealthy landowner’s estate, but it also speaks to larger issues of industrialisation and social class in Belgium at the time. Notice how the château is surrounded by factories and industrial sites. These details suggest the wealth of the Château is directly linked to the growth of industry in the region. Belgian society was highly stratified in this period, with a clear division between the wealthy elite and the working class. This photograph, and others like it, offer a window into that world. Historical societies, local archives, and even family records could reveal more about the relationships between landowners, industry, and the communities they shaped.