Harlingen, 1898 1898

Frits Freerks Fontein Fz. made this photograph, called Harlingen, in 1898. The image gives us insight into the commercial and residential architecture of the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century. Note the small details of the facades of these buildings: the stepped gables and decorated window frames indicate a rising middle class keen to display their wealth and status. But these are not merely documents of urban life. Consider the presence of the woman in the doorway; is she a resident, or an employee of one of the businesses? The presence of the 'Hulp Personeel Zwaag' suggests a society increasingly reliant on domestic service. By observing the details and ephemera in the built environment, this image opens up conversations around Dutch social structures of the time. To fully understand the social context of images like these, we can use census records, trade directories, and other documentary evidence, all of which help to contextualize this photograph within the broader social and institutional structures of its time.