Gang op de eerste verdieping van Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, België before 1894

Editor: This photogravure, taken by Hector Heylbroeck sometime before 1894, captures the first floor hallway of Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, Belgium. The long, narrow view, receding into the distance, gives a feeling of almost voyeuristic observation, like we’re peering into the past. What symbols do you see at play in this scene? Curator: The architectural construction itself, particularly the enfilade, the suite of rooms aligned with doorways in a row, is incredibly symbolic. It represents not just physical space but also hierarchy, procession, and social rituals. How do you perceive the effect of the repeating doorways? Editor: I feel like they're an invitation and barrier at the same time. It's like a promise of what's further inside, yet the doorways feel very formal and uninviting, somehow. Curator: Precisely. Consider the cultural memory associated with such spaces. Hotels like this were often meeting places for societal elites. This visual of receding doorways carries all the emotional weight of whispered conversations, political intrigues, and fleeting encounters that have transpired through the years. Does the wallpaper pattern say something to you? Editor: Now that you point it out, it's a swirling pattern that almost looks like eyes staring back at us. The sense of being observed is intensified. It's also fading with age. Curator: Good observation. Consider, also, the way light falls in the photograph. Notice how it's brightest in the distance, drawing our eye into the unknown, while the foreground remains somewhat shadowed, creating a sense of mystery and the secrets that the space may still hold. Editor: It’s remarkable how a simple hallway can hold so many layers of cultural and psychological meaning. I definitely see a whole different history hidden here now. Curator: Indeed. What we see is a record of lived experience and a powerful reminder of the human stories embedded in architecture. Photography preserves this and allows it to reverberate through time.