Gezicht op een zaal in de stijl van Lodewijk XIII in het hotel van Brahy-Prost in Luik, België before 1898

This print by H. Waeles captures a room in the Louis XIII style, located in the Hotel van Brahy-Prost in Liege, Belgium. The composition immediately strikes us with its careful balance between the dark, ornate details of the fireplace and the more open, linear perspective of the room's layout. This contrast establishes a visual rhythm, guiding our eyes from the intricate carvings to the broader space. The textures, rendered in monochromatic detail, emphasize the materiality of the wood and stone, creating a tactile sense that invites closer inspection. How does Waeles employ light to shape our understanding? The lighting isn't just illumination; it's a structural element that models the forms and articulates the space, inviting a meditation on how we perceive interiority and the crafted environment. Notice how the arrangement of objects and furnishings, set against the architectural backdrop, invites us to decode the cultural codes embedded within. What remains is an enduring testament to how formal elements converge to communicate ideas about taste, class, and cultural memory.