Interieur van Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Basiliek te Maastricht 1855

Alexander Schaepkens made this print of the interior of the Basilica of Our Lady in Maastricht in the nineteenth century. This type of image was very popular at that time because it gave people access to the architectural wonders of Europe, even if they could not travel themselves. The Basilica is an important site of Catholic pilgrimage, and the artist emphasizes the church’s grandeur with his chosen perspective, looking towards the choir with its columns and arches that reach towards the heavens. Note the figures of the clergy, who perform their rites in the center of the image. In nineteenth-century Netherlands, religious identity became closely linked to nationalist feelings. Schaepkens was part of a movement of artists who sought to rekindle interest in the nation’s medieval past, in part through its religious heritage. To further explore the social and cultural context of this image, historians consult archives of prints and photographs, church records, and writings about local history. In doing so, they aim to understand the values attached to images and institutions by the communities who created and cherished them.