XIIe Station. Jésus meurt sur la croix. Autel élevé sur le lieu même ou le Christ a été crucifié 1860

This is Louis de Clercq's photographic rendering of the twelfth station of the cross, capturing the altar erected on the very site of Christ's crucifixion. De Clercq, working in the mid-19th century, was part of a wave of artists who turned to photography to document and interpret religious sites. He navigated the complex intersection of faith, colonialism, and emerging technologies. This image invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in representing sacred spaces through a Western lens. The stark, almost theatrical lighting accentuates the scene's drama, yet also subtly underscores the artist's own intervention in framing this moment. Consider, as you stand here, how photography transforms lived experience into something observed, and how this act of observation shapes our understanding of faith, history, and place. De Clercq’s photograph invites a meditation on the role of the artist, and our own, in interpreting narratives central to identity and belief.