Monstrans uit de Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek in Tongeren, opgesteld op een tentoonstelling over religieuze objecten uit de middeleeuwen en renaissance in 1864 in Mechelen 1864

Editor: This is a photograph by Joseph Maes from 1864 depicting a monstrance from the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek in Tongeren. It's made of metal and glass, and I find the rigid symmetry and central focus to be a very striking choice for that time. What do you make of its presence at an exhibition of religious objects during that period? Curator: The fact that this sacred object was part of a public exhibition in 1864 speaks volumes. Consider the 19th century as a period grappling with secularization and the rise of nationalism. Exhibiting the monstrance transforms it from a purely religious object into a cultural artifact. The context reshapes its meaning. What narratives of identity do you think the exhibition might have reinforced or challenged? Editor: I guess by putting it on display, it risks turning a spiritual symbol into something akin to a historical curio. Curator: Exactly. And think about who had access to these exhibitions. How does displaying religious artifacts to a predominantly secular or perhaps religiously diverse audience shift the power dynamics? Are we looking at a form of cultural appropriation, even if unintentional? Editor: So it becomes less about the actual religious function and more about…owning the narrative, perhaps? Asserting cultural dominance? Curator: Precisely! It invites us to question how institutions, even with the best intentions, participate in shaping perceptions of belief and cultural heritage. Considering also that religious objects often carry histories of colonialism and exploitation... Editor: I never considered all that complexity! I was so focused on the object itself. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about. Curator: That is the purpose of art history.