Restauratie van het zuidtransept in de Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek te Maastricht c. 1890 - 1915

This photograph shows the south transept of the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek in Maastricht, undergoing restoration. The anonymous photographer, working for Monumentenzorg, captures not a finished artwork, but a moment of making and remaking. The image’s sepia tones evoke the past, yet the visible scaffolding speaks to the ongoing labour required to maintain historical structures. Stone, the basilica’s primary material, is heavy, solid, and enduring. Its manipulation demands skilled craftsmanship, passed down through generations. The restoration work itself—chipping away old mortar, replacing damaged stones—is a physical, repetitive process. The photograph, in its stillness, belies the activity and human effort involved. The image invites us to consider the relationship between labour, materials, and the preservation of cultural heritage. It challenges us to recognize the value of not only the finished building, but also the skilled work that keeps it standing.