Biechtstoel in de Église Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours te Nancy before 1896

This is a photograph of a wooden confessional in the Église Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours in Nancy. Confessionals are fascinating objects, as they represent a key site of social control in modern Europe, a place where religious institutions exerted power over individual lives. This particular confessional is located in France and judging by the ornamentation, it most likely dates from the 18th century. At this time, the Catholic church served as a powerful ideological apparatus, influencing social norms and the very structures of everyday life. The image creates meaning through visual codes. The crucifix, along with the angel, creates a powerful impression of divine authority. The elaborate carving and the heavy use of ornamentation are further reminders of the church’s wealth and prestige. To understand the function of the confessional better, one can consult religious texts, architectural studies, and historical analyses of church-state relations in France. By studying institutions, we can better understand the meaning of art as something that is contingent on social context.