Kloostergang 1862 - 1880

Henri Emile Lefort created this print, "Kloostergang," employing etching techniques to construct a scene of contemplative solitude. Notice how Lefort uses linear perspective to draw us into the space of the corridor. The architecture’s receding lines frame figures in shadow, which serve as visual signs that mark the passage from light to darkness, from known to unknown. The careful modulation of light and shadow creates a somber mood, characteristic of the late 19th-century Symbolist aesthetic. The etching technique enhances the textural details, from the stone floor to the ornate ceiling, inviting a haptic experience through visual means. It destabilizes our sense of space, urging us to reflect on the structure and form, and perhaps consider the interplay between spiritual reflection and the material world.