Gezicht op Rue Royale en de achterzijde van de Peter-de-Grotebron in Spa 1866 - 1870

This is Jules Hippolyte Quéval's stereoscopic albumen print, "View of Rue Royale and the rear of the Peter the Great Fountain in Spa." Quéval, active in the mid-19th century, captured this street view during a time of significant social and technological change. Photography itself was relatively new, and its ability to document urban spaces offered a fresh perspective on the rapidly transforming world. Spa, a town known for its healing mineral springs, attracted an elite clientele. Quéval's photograph highlights the town's architecture and public spaces, reflecting the values and aspirations of the upper class. The absence of people creates a sense of serenity and order but also hints at the social stratification of the era. Who had the privilege to leisurely stroll these streets, and whose labor maintained them? What stories remain untold within these meticulously constructed facades? The photograph is not merely a visual record; it's a cultural artifact that invites us to reflect on the intersections of class, leisure, and representation in 19th-century society. It is in considering these elements that we gain a more profound understanding of the lives and experiences shaped by this historical moment.