Resten van een grote tank na de ontploffing van een munitiefabriek in Oosterweel bij Antwerpen op 6 september 1889 Possibly 1885 - 1889

Albéric Lunden made this photograph of the remains of a large tank after the explosion of a munitions factory in Oosterweel, near Antwerp, on September 6, 1889. It evokes the latent danger of Belgium's rapid industrialization and the attendant growth of arms manufacturing. In stark black and white, the image captures a scene of devastation. Piles of rubble and twisted metal surround the skeletal remains of the tank, with ships in the background. This disaster wasn't just a local event; it reflected a broader European context of industrial expansion and military buildup. Belgium, with its strategic location and industrial prowess, played a significant role in this arms race. The photograph, in its starkness, comments on the human cost of such progress. Was this progress? Or rather a path to self-destruction? Understanding this image requires delving into the archives. Government records, newspaper articles, and company documents can reveal the institutional failures that led to this tragedy. Only then can we fully appreciate the photograph's role as a silent critique of its time.