Sint-Petruskerk te Caen 1893

Eugene Carriere made this photograph of the Sint-Petruskerk in Caen, France, sometime in the late 19th century. The image shows a striking example of Gothic architecture, a style deeply intertwined with the power of the Catholic Church and its influence on civic life. This photograph, made during the Third Republic, reflects France’s ongoing negotiation with its religious past. The Church had, for a long time, been a powerful political and cultural institution, but its authority was increasingly challenged by the rise of secularism. Photography, as a relatively new medium, was itself part of this shift. It allowed for the documentation and dissemination of images outside the control of traditional institutions, like the Church or the state-controlled Academy. As historians, understanding this image involves researching the history of Caen, the role of the Church in French society, and the development of photography as a medium. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.