Drie gedecoreerde eikenhouten zijkanten van kerkbanken in de Grote Kerk van Breda before 1880

These are three decorated oak sides of church pews, made by an anonymous artist for the Grote Kerk in Breda. Considered as a whole, the pews are more than mere furniture; they speak to the very structure of religious community and hierarchy in their time. The detailed carvings, rendered in dark wood, tell a story of faith and belonging, but also of exclusion. The separation of the church into pews reflects the social divisions of the time, where seating was often determined by status and wealth. The artist—likely a craftsman rather than a recognized ‘master’—imbues the wood with scenes that would have been deeply familiar and instructive to the congregation. What narratives are subtly reinforced through these images? What emotional and spiritual experiences were they designed to provoke in the diverse members of the church? These pews remind us of the complex ways in which art, faith, and social order have intertwined throughout history, shaping both our physical and spiritual spaces.