Doksaal van steen in de Sint-Martinuskerk in Tessenderloo, België before 1887

This stone 'doksaal', or choir screen, resides in the Sint-Martinuskerk in Tessenderloo, Belgium, its creation echoing the artistic fervor of the 16th century. Here, we witness a potent display of Christian iconography. Note the intricate carvings: repeated motifs act as symbolic gateways, guiding the faithful toward spiritual enlightenment, their forms deeply rooted in medieval traditions. These symbols are not static. Consider, for instance, the arch, a symbol that recurs across cultures and epochs, from ancient Roman architecture to Gothic cathedrals. Originally a structural element, its arch form evolved to represent triumph, transition, and divine connection. The doksaal serves as a threshold—a visual and spiritual divide between the nave and the choir. It evokes a sense of sacred space. Much like the recurring symbols themselves, the emotions they stir are both deeply personal and universally resonant. They remind us that the story of art is the story of humanity itself: a continuous cycle of reinvention and remembrance.