Twee ingangen van woonhuizen te Nancy before 1896

Here is a photographic print showing two entrances of houses in Nancy. Though the artist is anonymous, the image speaks volumes about the labor and materials invested in these domestic facades. The stonework surrounding the doors is the main event here. Notice the carved details – the intricate scrolls, the fluted columns, the keystones with human faces. This wasn't just a matter of quarrying stone; it was about the skilled hands that shaped it. Stone carving is a slow, subtractive process, requiring years of training. Each cut is a commitment, a permanent alteration of the material. These doorways also speak to the social context of Nancy at the time the buildings were made. They reflect a culture where the wealthy invested in displays of craftsmanship, embedding value, literally, in the walls of their homes. This kind of architectural detail elevates craft to the level of art, and reminds us that even the most functional objects can be powerful expressions of skill, labor, and social standing.