Monstrans uit de Sint-Martinusbasiliek in Halle, opgesteld op een tentoonstelling over religieuze objecten uit de middeleeuwen en renaissance in 1864 in Mechelen before 1866

This is Joseph Maes's photograph of a monstrance from the Basilica of Saint Martin in Halle, captured at the 1864 exhibition in Mechelen. The radiant cross atop the monstrance is a potent emblem. It is a symbol that has journeyed through time and across cultures. As an emblem of the Christian faith, it represents sacrifice and redemption, yet its earlier association with sun worship is undeniable. The sunburst surrounding the cross speaks to the life-giving force of divinity, echoing pagan traditions where solar deities held sway. Consider, for instance, the halo in medieval art. It signified divine illumination, and, perhaps unconsciously, it evokes the same awe and reverence inspired by ancient sun gods. Such symbols reveal how the human psyche imbues objects with layers of meaning, drawn from both conscious belief and subconscious memory. The monstrance embodies this palimpsest of cultural memory.