Fotoreproductie van De wederinstelling van de eredienst in de Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk te Antwerpen door baron Henri Leys before 1860

This photogravure by Joseph Maes reproduces Henri Leys’ painting of the re-establishment of Catholic worship in Antwerp’s cathedral. Made in the late 19th century, the image speaks to Belgium’s complex relationship with its own past. Leys’ history paintings idealized the medieval era. They also reflected the conservative, Catholic values of the Belgian elites who commissioned and consumed them. This photogravure indicates how these elites used new reproductive technologies to disseminate their views. Antwerp, once a Protestant stronghold, had become a bastion of the Catholic revival by this time. The painting, and its reproductions, presented a selective view of history that legitimized the political status quo. Understanding art like this requires looking at archives, periodicals, and other sources. By exploring the social and institutional context, we can see how art became a tool for shaping collective memory and reinforcing the power of certain groups.