Zuidzijde van de Sint-Lambertuskerk te Rosmalen 1910

This photograph of the Sint-Lambertuskerk in Rosmalen, taken in March 1910, was made by an anonymous photographer from Monumentenzorg. The sepia tones and the slightly soft focus give it an antique feel, but let’s think about what the image is documenting. This church, like all buildings, is made of specific materials: stone, glass, wood, all extracted or manufactured, and then assembled by skilled labor. The imposing scale suggests a community with considerable resources, organized around a central religious institution. The photographer, in turn, used technologies of mass production – the camera, photographic paper, and chemical developing processes – to document this achievement of craft. Consider the labor required, from quarrying stone to cutting glass for the windows. The photograph encapsulates a moment in time, but also speaks to the long history of building traditions, and the social structures that support them. By considering the material and making, we gain insight into the cultural significance of the church itself.