Gezicht op de kathedraal van Antwerpen 1929

Jules de Bruycker made this etching of the Cathedral of Antwerp. It presents a view of the cathedral framed by the buildings of the city. De Bruycker made this print in Belgium, most likely in the early 20th century. Antwerp was known for its religious architecture as well as its thriving port and the print combines both of these elements. The monumental cathedral looms over the buildings in the foreground, dwarfing them, an effect exaggerated by the low viewpoint. The cathedral’s architecture speaks to the power of the church but the print also draws our attention to the buildings at street level, emphasizing the way religious institutions are embedded in the life of the city and are part of the everyday lives of ordinary people. To understand the print fully, we might want to look at the urban history of Antwerp, as well as the changing relationship between religion and the state in Belgium. This artwork reveals that the meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.