Doksaal in de Sint-Niklaaskerk in Diksmuide, België before 1887

This is an anonymous photograph of the rood screen, or ‘doksaal,’ in the Sint-Niklaaskerk in Diksmuide, Belgium. Rood screens visually and physically divided the space of the church, often separating the chancel and altar from the nave, where the congregation gathered. These screens, which were common in Europe during the medieval and Renaissance periods, performed a clear social function, defining the roles of the clergy versus the laity. This photograph freezes a moment of cultural practice, representing the architectural features of the church as signifiers of social hierarchy. Consider, too, the act of photographing the screen. While we don’t know who took this image, the camera’s gaze invites us to contemplate the power dynamics inherent in religious spaces and reflect on the ways in which architecture can shape human behavior and identity.