Gezicht op de studeerkamer in het huis van J. vanden Peereboom in Anderlecht, België before 1898

This photograph captures the study of J. vanden Peereboom in Anderlecht, Belgium, and was taken by G. Choppinet. Vanden Peereboom was a Minister of Roads, Posts, and Telegraphs. The study is an intimate reflection of Vanden Peereboom's identity and social standing. Bookcases line the walls, filled with leather-bound books – a symbol of knowledge, wealth and power. The solid wooden furniture and ornate detailing speak to a cultivated taste and a privileged existence. This room, described as his 'cabinet of work', suggests a space dedicated to intellectual pursuits and governance. Consider how access to such spaces and resources would have been largely confined to a specific class, reflecting the social hierarchies of the time. Spaces like these were vital in shaping both personal identity and influencing broader societal structures.