Gezicht op het koor van de Sint-Janskerk te Gouda 1847 - 1865

Dirk Johannes van Vreumingen created this artwork of the Sint-Janskerk in Gouda using lithography. Van Vreumingen, working in the 19th century, captured a moment deeply embedded in the social fabric of Dutch society. The church, more than just a place of worship, was a stage where community identities were performed and reinforced. Here, class distinctions are subtly rendered, from the clothing of the figures to their placement within the architectural space. Notice how the artist directs our gaze down the long nave towards the choir, a deliberate choice that evokes both the grandeur of the space and perhaps the social hierarchies it represented. Consider how this setting would have shaped the experiences of women, whose roles were often marginalized within the religious structure. This print invites us to reflect on the interplay between personal faith and collective identity.