Dom van Keulen in aanbouw 1867 - 1868

Curator: This sepia-toned photograph, taken between 1867 and 1868 by the Gebrüder Schönscheidt, captures a cityscape dominated by the magnificent Cologne Cathedral under construction. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by the sheer verticality of the composition. The eye is relentlessly drawn upwards by those soaring Gothic lines. It is not only documenting the cathedral but dramatizing it. Curator: The cathedral, or "Dom" as it's known, has deep roots in Cologne's identity. Construction originally began in 1248, then halted in the 15th century, only to be revived in the 19th. This photograph captures a pivotal moment in that second wave. Look closely—you can see the crane still in place. It's a potent symbol of interrupted faith and subsequent national aspiration. Editor: The texture too is quite compelling. The way the light falls across the rough stone of the unfinished facade. You have a contrast between the precision of the architectural rendering and the almost ethereal blur of the surrounding city. The scale of the Cathedral emphasizes how dwarfed these older structures feel. Curator: Indeed. The crane almost becomes another spire—a temporary crown signifying human ambition striving towards the divine. Cologne Cathedral also served as a powerful symbol of Prussian identity, particularly after the Rhine Province became part of Prussia. The completion became a unifying patriotic endeavor. Editor: Yes, there's this almost unsettling juxtaposition. The monumentality feels permanent. Yet, captured by photography, it also feels frozen in time, still in a liminal state, existing somewhere between plan and realization. Curator: I think it reminds us that even the most enduring symbols are always evolving, shaped by the changing hands and values of the communities that create them. Editor: Precisely, the cathedral remains a fascinating case study, constantly accumulating new layers of meaning and continuing its presence as the backdrop of so much life.