Koorhek van marmer in de Sint-Maartenskerk in Ieper, België before 1887

This is a photograph of the marble choir screen in the Sint-Maartenskerk in Ieper, Belgium. Without an artist named, we can still consider the social meanings of this object. Screens like this divided the space of the church, separating the clergy from the laity. In the 17th century, the Catholic Church was still a major social and political force. Religious reformers had long criticized the wealth and power of the church, and the elaborate decoration of objects like this screen would certainly have been a target for them. Marble was an expensive material and only the wealthiest institutions could afford to construct objects like this. Today, art historians continue to ask questions about this object. We can consult archives of the church and city to understand who paid for it, who made it, and what functions it served. The meaning of art depends on such social and institutional contexts.