Grafmonument van Cornelis de Witt in de Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk te Rotterdam 1911

This photograph shows the Grafmonument van Cornelis de Witt in the Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk in Rotterdam, taken some time ago by an anonymous photographer from Monumentenzorg. The sepia tone gives a strange feel to the image; it’s like the shapes are emerging out of a fog, or out of history. The surface of the monument is fascinating, isn’t it? I can feel the way the sculptor has chipped and carved the stone. The figures, like those at the top with the trumpet, look a little rough, a little unrefined. I like that a lot. Look at the figure lying prone at the base of the monument, there's a real sense of depth, and a ton of detail - the fabric is really something! It makes me think of the work of Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, an Italian sculptor known for his highly-detailed and dramatic sculptures. The material qualities, and the rawness of the medium really shape my experience of this artwork. Art's like a big conversation that never ends, right?