Herdenkingsalbum voor Carl von Bodelschwingh 1860 - 1875

This wooden memorial album for Carl von Bodelschwingh, of unknown date and authorship, speaks volumes about memory, identity, and societal values. The album's heavy, almost fortress-like construction suggests the weight of remembrance and the desire to preserve a legacy. The choice of wood, a natural, enduring material, connects the subject to notions of rootedness and permanence. The intricate carvings, though anonymous, hint at a community's collective effort to honor a significant figure. The album acts as a cultural artifact that likely reflects the social standing and beliefs of Carl von Bodelschwingh and the people who commemorated him. It invites us to consider whose stories are deemed worthy of preservation and how these acts of memorialization shape our understanding of history and identity. While the contents of the album remain unseen here, the album's very existence prompts us to reflect on the personal and collective dimensions of memory, and the ways we construct narratives around individuals and their impact.