Deur van de Notre-Dame te Parijs c. 1875 - 1900

J. Kuhn’s photograph captures a section of the ornate door of Notre-Dame in Paris. Without a known date, this photograph’s cultural relevance is tied to the historical and social context of architectural documentation and preservation. The photograph documents an element of gothic architecture that embodies both religious and civic power. The door is a threshold, a marker of entry from the secular world into the sacred space of the cathedral. Kuhn’s photographic lens invites contemplation on the role of religious institutions in shaping cultural identity and the dialogue between tradition and modernity. The photograph makes me think about how photography can preserve spaces and stories, and how our experiences of them shift across time. How does the photograph's existence change how people perceive the actual door?