Tabernakel van steen en koper in de Sint-Maartenskerk in Kortrijk, België before 1887

Curator: This photographic print captures a tabernacle of stone and copper, located in the Saint-Maartenskerk in Kortrijk, Belgium. While its creator remains anonymous, it predates 1887. The gothic craftsmanship is immediately striking. Editor: Striking is an understatement! My first impression is how it almost defies gravity, soaring upwards. The texture looks incredibly intricate, like frozen lace wrought from metal. It fills the space, becoming an effervescent vision of spirituality. Curator: The material presence of that lace, or those metal spires, I would argue, serve a very pointed political purpose. Consider that such displays are about demonstrating not just faith but also power and permanence, through conspicuous craftsmanship. Think about how similar structures functioned as focal points in public religious rituals, reinforcing social hierarchies. Editor: I agree entirely that they are displays of status, but I find them captivating as much more. Those tiers draw the eye upwards and encourage one to lose oneself in contemplating the divine; even for a secular viewer, it’s meant to have a profound effect, triggering deep emotions through scale and repetition. It speaks to how certain forms resonate across different cultural epochs, tapping into our psychological need for structure and order when confronting larger, unanswerable existential concerns. Curator: Well said! And those are crucial points, particularly when we view the history of this piece’s imagery. How has the perception of religious art shifted across different eras? What role does art such as this, made for the Church, play now in a secular context like a museum? Those considerations highlight its complex positionality. Editor: Absolutely. What once inspired or intimidated might today provoke reflection on shifting beliefs, and indeed, aesthetics. Curator: Indeed. Understanding this evolution offers powerful insight into society's ongoing dialogues with its own past. Editor: It enriches our perspective, allowing us to better recognize symbols that shape culture.