Kathedraal van Rouen 1870 - 1900

This is Étienne Neurdein’s photograph of the Rouen Cathedral, made in the late 19th century. The image is striking in its formal presentation of French architectural heritage. Neurdein’s work operated within a cultural context deeply invested in defining and preserving national identity. This was a time when photography was used both to document and to idealize landmarks. It was used to remind people of France’s historical and cultural significance. But what is often unseen in these idealized representations are the lives and labor of ordinary people whose stories are intimately tied to these structures. Here, the cathedral stands as a testament to faith and history, but also to power structures inherent in religious institutions and in the colonial project. The photograph invites us to consider whose stories are told through architecture and whose are erased. What does it mean to preserve an image that speaks to the past? How might we engage with these cultural symbols in a way that acknowledges the complexities of history and memory?