Portaal van de kathedraal van Lichfield before 1870

This is John Benjamin Stone’s photograph of the Lichfield Cathedral portal. Stone was an industrialist and Conservative politician, but also a deeply committed photographer who documented British life at the turn of the 20th century. The photograph, taken from within a book, captures the cathedral's detailed Romanesque architecture. It offers a window into the religious and social values of Stone’s era, one in which religious architecture was seen as emblematic of national identity and cultural heritage. Stone's photographs, including this one, reflect a desire to preserve and celebrate British traditions. This image resonates with the Victorian era's fascination with both religion and the rapidly expanding technology of photography, freezing a moment of architectural grandeur, inviting us to reflect on the enduring power of religious spaces within a changing world. It encourages us to consider the intersection of faith, history, and national identity.