Doksaal in de Sint-Maternusbasiliek te Walcourt before 1889

This image depicts the rood screen in the Saint Maternus Basilica in Walcourt and is rendered in print. Although the artist remains unknown, the visual language speaks volumes about the social structures of the time. Rood screens like this one served as physical and symbolic barriers. They separated the clergy from the laity reflecting rigid class hierarchies of the medieval period. As physical boundaries within sacred spaces they reinforced social distances. They dictated who could access certain rituals and knowledge, thereby controlling the spiritual experience of the masses. Carved with intricate details this screen is more than just a partition. It embodies the power dynamics and spiritual control that shaped medieval society. It is a silent witness to centuries of faith, power, and social stratification.