Historic wall art for homes with soul

When the photograph was taken in 1901, Gothenburg’s Great Market Hall had been open for only twelve years. The aisles were still lit by gas; it was not until 1909 that gaslight was replaced by electricity. At the same time, the hall was far from any quiet institution. At its opening in 1889, demand for the 92 stalls was so strong that applicants crowded together to secure a place. The image thus captures a building that today feels like a self-evident part of the cityscape while it was still relatively new and, technically, on the threshold of the next era. Amid gas flames, commerce, and dense rows of stalls, the everyday life of the modern city unfolded in real time.