Exterieur van het gebouw aan Boulevard Central 101 te Brussel 1875

Alexandre de Blochouse created this photograph of the building on Boulevard Central 101 in Brussels in 1875. The sepia tones and the composition of the building evoke a sense of classical elegance. De Blochouse skillfully captured the building's facade using a frontal perspective, which emphasizes its symmetry and architectural details. The orderly arrangement of windows, balconies, and decorative elements create a balanced and harmonious visual experience, characteristic of 19th-century Neoclassical architecture. Within the structuralist framework, this building is a sign. Its components—the columns, windows, and ornamentation—act as signifiers, pointing towards ideas of wealth, order, and cultural sophistication. The photograph, then, is not merely a representation but an encoding of societal values. The symmetry in the building's design challenges the asymmetries of urban life, offering a constructed order. The play of light and shadow adds depth, enhancing the texture of the stonework. This interplay invites continuous visual rediscovery.