Gezicht op de begane grond van het gebouw van de nationale bank in Antwerpen, België before 1893

Römmler and Jonas’s print captures the ground floor of the National Bank building in Antwerp. Though the date of this work is unknown, the grandeur speaks to the late 19th century, a time when national banks became symbols of a country's economic power. Consider the weight of those stones, the imposing entrance. Architecture, especially that of financial institutions, often serves to project an image of stability, security, and authority. But who feels invited into this space, and who might feel excluded? The bank’s architecture serves as a statement about societal values, reflecting a hierarchy of class and wealth. It asks us to consider the narratives we construct around money and power, and how these narratives are embedded in the very fabric of our built environment.