Gezicht op de Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlijn, uitzicht vanaf de Lustgarten 1889 - 1893

This photograph of the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, viewed from the Lustgarten, was taken by Willem Frederik Piek Jr. Piek's image encapsulates the relationship between art, architecture and the public in Germany. Constructed in the 19th century, the museum aimed to cultivate national identity through art. The National Gallery was designed to appear as a temple, thus associating German cultural production with the grandeur of antiquity. Piek’s photograph captures the way the museum is integrated into the social life of the city. It’s a carefully staged image, framing the museum with the trees on the right and the buildings on the left, but the people walking around the Lustgarten are not necessarily visiting the museum. They are enjoying the public space around it. Understanding images like Piek’s requires historical research. It’s about understanding the public role of art and the social conditions that shape artistic production.