Werner chapel in Bacharach 27 - 1845

Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig made this drawing of the Werner chapel in Bacharach in 1847. The chapel's ruinous state is a reminder of the forces that shape the life cycle of institutions, and of the cultural shifts that alter their meanings. Made in Germany, this image engages with ideas of nationhood that were current in the nineteenth century. We see the remnants of gothic architecture in this detailed rendering, a style strongly associated with German identity at this time, with its emphasis on the medieval period. Art history played an important role in codifying this association, with scholars defining the key features of gothic as uniquely German. The chapel itself, built to commemorate the death of a boy believed to be murdered by Jews, reflects the darker aspects of German history, namely, the antisemitism that has recurred throughout its social history. To understand the image better, we can consult archives of architectural history, which will give us more insight into how buildings such as this were instrumentalized for cultural and political purposes.