Interieur van de Lady Chapel in de kathedraal van Durham 1855 - 1856

Louis Jules Arnout made this print of the Lady Chapel in Durham Cathedral. The cathedral was built in the late 11th and early 12th century, but the print was made much later in the 19th century. We might ask ourselves, why did Arnout choose this subject matter? In his time, the medieval period held a strong fascination for artists and intellectuals. They admired the skill of the craftsmen and the religious conviction that inspired their art. The Gothic Revival architectural movement took inspiration from buildings like this. Here, the artist pays close attention to architectural details such as the arches, columns, and ribbed vaults of the chapel. By the 19th century, cathedrals like Durham were becoming a source of national pride. Art historians look into the culture of their own time to understand why certain images become so popular.