Exterieur van een kerk in Persingen met een huis ernaast c. 1905 - 1907

Folkert Idzes de Jong created this photograph of a church in Persingen, with a house to the side, at an unknown date. De Jong, working in the early 20th century, captured a moment in time when the influence of the church was still very present in the Netherlands. The image presents the church not just as a religious building, but as a central point within the community’s landscape. The adjacent house suggests a connection between the domestic and the divine, mirroring the integrated nature of faith in daily life at the time. The composition invites us to consider the role of religion in shaping the cultural identity and social structure of rural communities. While de Jong’s personal views on religion remain unknown, the photograph provides a glimpse into a world where the church was a constant, visible presence. How might the people who lived there have felt about it?