Refter van het voormalig Sint-Agathaklooster te Delft before 1894

This is a photograph of the refectory of the former Saint Agatha Convent in Delft by Charles L. Mitchell. We see a long, narrow room, presumably a dining hall, as perceived through the camera lens. Religious architecture, like any other institution, reflects the values and social structure of its time. Delft, in the Netherlands, had a rich history of religious communities. This particular convent played a significant role in the city’s social fabric. The refectory, where the nuns would gather for meals, was not just a place for sustenance; it was a space for communal reflection and spiritual nourishment. How were these spaces gendered and what was the implication of that at the time? Historians piece together the story of Saint Agatha Convent through archival records, architectural plans, and visual documents like this photograph. By understanding the social conditions and institutional context, we can interpret the artwork in its full richness. The history of art invites questions about the ever-changing relationship between art, institutions, and society.