Gezicht op de tuinen van Château de Marlagne met zitbank before 1867

This salt print, titled "View of the gardens of Château de Marlagne with a bench," was created by the Ghémar Frères in Belgium. This image gives us a glimpse into the lives of the wealthy in 19th-century Europe and the institutional history of early photography. The Château de Marlagne, likely owned by aristocrats, represents a concentration of wealth and privilege. The meticulous cultivation of the gardens suggests a desire to dominate nature, reflecting a social hierarchy. Early photography studios like Ghémar Frères were businesses that catered to the elite by making images of their estates and their families. The composition of the photograph, capturing a serene garden scene, reinforces the idea of social order. Analyzing archives and historical records could reveal more about the Château de Marlagne, its owners, and the social context in which this photograph was made. Art, in this case, becomes a social document, reflecting and reinforcing existing power structures.