Beeld van Friedrich I von Hohenlohe in de dom van Bamberg c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph captures a stone sculpture of Friedrich I von Hohenlohe in Bamberg Cathedral, carved by an unknown artist. It's all about the texture, right? The rough, almost crumbly surface of the stone. You can imagine the sculptor chipping away, each strike of the chisel a decision. Look closely at the Bishop’s face; there’s a kind of solemnity in the downward gaze, the brow furrowed. The folds in his robes, the intricate details of his mitre, all rendered with such care. I love how the light catches the edges, creating these sharp contrasts. The stone seems to absorb the light, giving it a sense of weight and presence. This reminds me of some of the Romanesque sculptures I've seen, where the figures are less about perfect anatomical accuracy and more about conveying a sense of spiritual power. It’s less about what it looks like, and more about what it *is*. An image, an idea, solidified. That’s what art can do, right? Take something ephemeral and make it real.