Koorbank van eikenhout in de Sint-Geertrui-abdij in Leuven, België before 1887

This image shows the oak choir stalls in the Abbey of Saint Gertrude in Leuven, Belgium, carved sometime in the 17th century. The image invites us to consider the role of religious institutions in shaping artistic production. In the 17th century, the Catholic Church was a major patron of the arts, commissioning works to glorify God and inspire religious devotion. These choir stalls, with their intricate carvings and imposing scale, would have been a powerful symbol of the church's authority and wealth. Institutions such as the Abbey of Saint Gertrude would have been important centers of learning and culture, and the monks who lived there would have been deeply involved in the artistic life of their community. By studying the history of these institutions, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural forces that shaped the art of the past. Resources such as archival records, architectural plans, and even the artwork itself can provide valuable insights into the world in which it was created.