Stadhuis van Luik 1862 - 1894

This is Joseph Kirsch’s photograph of the Stadhuis van Luik. The sepia tones evoke a sense of the past. The building, grand and imposing, stands as a symbol of civic authority. Kirsch was born in 1826, a time when photography was still a relatively new medium, offering new ways of seeing and documenting the world. As photography democratized image-making, it opened up possibilities for new narratives to emerge. Consider how this photograph participates in the construction of national and regional identity. What stories does the photograph tell about Liège, and who gets to tell them? The photograph’s classical composition and focus on civic architecture reinforces a sense of stability and tradition. Consider how the photograph both shapes and reflects societal values. It serves not only as a record of a place but as a reminder of the past, with its implications for the present.