Gezicht op de Stephansdom te Wenen 1907

This photographic print captures the Gezicht op de Stephansdom te Wenen, and it looks like it was made by the Wurthle & Sohn at some point, though it's hard to pin down when exactly. Looking at this image, I'm struck by how the monochromatic tones lend a timeless quality, yet the detail in the architecture is incredible. The surface of the photograph has a fine grain, but I’m more drawn to the intricacy of the cathedral’s façade. Take a look at the steeple, how it rises with such delicate articulation. The eye is lead skyward, drawn to the heavens but brought back down to earth by the weighty foundations of the building. The image is a testament to the Gothic style, how those forms reach up. It reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, their photographic series of industrial structures. Like them, Wurthle & Sohn seem interested in capturing the essence of a building, while suggesting that a work of art is always going to be open to multiple readings.