Altaarstuk van albast met verguldsel in de Sint-Martinusbasiliek in Halle, België before 1887

This altarpiece, crafted from alabaster and gilding, resides in the Sint-Martinusbasiliek in Halle, Belgium. Dominating the composition, we see scenes of Christian narratives, framed within circular medallions. These roundels echo ancient Roman sarcophagi, where similar scenes were used to convey stories of virtue and salvation. Note the IHS symbol prominently displayed—a monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus, a powerful emblem in Counter-Reformation art. In earlier times, such monograms were simple invocations, but over centuries, they evolved into complex symbols of faith and redemption. The very act of carving these scenes into stone suggests permanence, a desire to fix these moments in collective memory. The emotional intensity of the scenes, rendered in relief, engages us viscerally, stirring primal emotions connected to our shared cultural past. The journey of these symbols mirrors the meandering paths of cultural memory, resurfacing and transforming across epochs.