Byzantijns reliëf uit de Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk in Chimay, opgesteld op een tentoonstelling over religieuze objecten uit de middeleeuwen en renaissance in 1864 in Mechelen 1864

Joseph Maes captured this image of a Byzantine relief from the Saint Peter and Paul Church in Chimay during an 1864 exhibition in Mechelen. Photography in the mid-19th century occupied a space between documentation and art, often used to record historical objects and artworks for scholarly study. Here, the photograph presents the relief as an object of veneration and historical curiosity. Exhibitions like the one in Mechelen played a crucial role in shaping national identity, particularly in newly formed nations, by displaying a shared cultural and religious heritage. The relief, with its Byzantine roots, speaks to the complex intersections of religious, cultural, and national identities. Consider how the act of photographing and exhibiting this object transforms its meaning. It moves from a sacred object within a specific religious context to a public display of cultural heritage. How might this shift impact our understanding of faith, history, and cultural ownership?