Portaal van het noorder transept van de Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-over-de- Dijlekerk in Mechelen before 1881

This photograph captures the north transept portal of the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-over-de-Dijlekerk in Mechelen, though the photographer is unknown. The imposing gothic architecture embodies the religious, social, and political powers of the church. The transept acts as a symbolic threshold; consider how gender, class, and social standing dictated who was welcomed, or excluded from sacred spaces like these. This image exists as a means to engage with ideas around access, privilege, and representation. The photograph invites us to contemplate the intersection of faith, power, and social identity. While the anonymity of the photographer obscures their personal context, the image serves as a historical document that reflects the societal values and power structures of its time. It leaves us to wonder about the untold stories and perspectives that lie behind this imposing facade.