Gezicht op de Egidiuskerk, te Hannover

This is Johann Gabriel Friedrich Poppel's "Gezicht op de Egidiuskerk, te Hannover," made with etching around the mid-19th century. Poppel’s decision to depict the Egidius Church is striking; originally a beacon of faith, it stood then already partially destroyed by war, a poignant symbol of fragility. As you look at the church, consider the historical and social context of its destruction and subsequent representation. The church serves as a focal point, framed by everyday life, people walking, socializing, going about their business - all under the shadow of the damaged sacred space. This work invites us to think about the relationship between the sacred and the secular, and how public spaces reflect society’s collective memory and trauma. Poppel captures not just a building, but a moment of reckoning, a society living with its scars. It prompts us to reflect on how we, too, navigate the tension between history and hope.