Interieur van de Sint-Baafskathedraal te Gent 1851 - 1870

Henri Borremans made this print of the interior of Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent during the early nineteenth century. The print is a useful document of the Cathedral and also serves as a window onto the social life of the city at that time. Look at the groups of people dispersed within the church. Notice how Borremans has captured people from different social classes and religious orders mingling in the same space. Consider how the print may have been commissioned by the church to highlight its accessibility and community involvement. This would have been of particular importance in the wake of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, when the Catholic Church was struggling to maintain its influence. As historians of art, our interpretation of this print relies on archival research, examining church records, local histories, and social commentaries from the period. This allows us to explore the intricate relationship between art, society, and institutional power.