Münster in Westphalia, St Clement’s Church, Built by Schlaun c. 1929 - 1939
Dimensions: image: 229 x 168 mm
Copyright: © Estate of Albert Renger-Patzsch / DACS 2014 | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: This is Albert Renger-Patzsch's photograph, "Münster in Westphalia, St Clement’s Church, Built by Schlaun," now part of the Tate Collections. It offers a study in architectural form. Editor: It’s imposing, almost severe. The monochrome adds to the feeling of monumentality. I wonder about the social context of photographing such a structure? Curator: This church, designed by Schlaun, a prominent architect, represents power and faith within the urban landscape of Münster. Renger-Patzsch, active in the New Objectivity movement, sought to reveal the underlying structures of the world. Editor: So, he's stripping away the romanticism to expose the building's essence. I notice the symmetry, and the almost brutal clarity of the stone. Does it reflect a particular period in German history? Curator: Indeed. The photograph was taken during a time of great social and political upheaval in Germany. The church becomes a symbol of enduring order amid chaos, a visual anchor. Editor: It makes me think about the weight of history, the way buildings stand as silent witnesses. Even in this still image, the church seems to resonate with the echoes of the past. Curator: Precisely. Renger-Patzsch's work invites us to contemplate the interplay between architecture, history, and the human desire for stability. Editor: A powerful statement, captured in a seemingly simple photograph. I’m left considering how we project our own meanings onto these enduring structures.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/renger-patzsch-munster-in-westphalia-st-clements-church-built-by-schlaun-p79962
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Münster in Westphalia, St Clement’s Church, Built by Schlaun is a black and white photograph picturing the façade of a baroque church. The scene is unpopulated except for ghostly apparitions that are faintly discernible in the bottom left of the picture: blurred figures moving across the street during the long exposure time. The title identifies the building as the church of St Clement’s in the city of Münster: a circular, domed church constructed in the mid-eighteenth century by Johann Conrad Schlaun, a German architect who designed a number of palaces and churches in the Westphalia region. Rendered clearly and sharply, the church dominates the image, filling the picture frame and blocking out contextual detail. This purposeful cropping draws attention to the dramatic architectural features of the baroque façade: undulating curved walls, an oval lantern, recessed statuary and ornate pediments.
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