Kapel van St. Nicolaas te Westminster Abbey before 1869

This is an undated photograph by John Harrington of the Chapel of St. Nicholas in Westminster Abbey. The sepia tones lend the image a timeless quality, highlighting the sharp angles and soaring verticals of the chapel’s Gothic architecture. Harrington's composition plays with perspective, drawing the eye upward along the pointed arches and slender columns. The strong contrast between light and shadow adds a dramatic flair, emphasizing the textural richness of the stone and wood. Notice how the repetitive patterns of the tracery and paneling create a visual rhythm, a kind of visual language. This structural repetition doesn't just please the eye; it also invokes a sense of order and permanence, qualities valued in both religious and artistic contexts. Through the interplay of light and shadow, geometry and form, this photograph is a carefully constructed representation that invites the viewer to contemplate not only the physical space of the chapel, but also its cultural significance.