Koorbanken in de Grote of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwenkerk te Dordrecht c. 1880 - 1910

This is a photograph of choir stalls, or "Koorbanken," inside the Grote Kerk, or Church of Our Lady, in Dordrecht. It was produced anonymously by the Dutch Office for Monument Care. The image allows us to consider the role of the church in Dutch society. Built over centuries, the Grote Kerk visually encodes the history of Dordrecht as a powerful medieval city. Inside, the choir stalls were reserved for clergy and other elites. Carved from wood, they display intricate ornamentation reflecting wealth and status. The photograph itself tells a story. It was made by a governmental organization dedicated to documenting and preserving Dutch cultural heritage. Looking at this image, we must ask ourselves: what is the public role of art? What are the social conditions that shape the production of images? Historical archives are essential to our ability to understand the cultural and institutional contexts that give meaning to works of art.