Gezicht op de voormalige parochiekerk te Kessenich, met op de voorgrond een kar en klinkers before 1898

This photograph shows the former parish church in Kessenich, and was made by A.J.M. Mulder. Though the exact date is unknown, we can assume that the traditional photographic processes used by Mulder have imbued this print with social and cultural significance, showing us the architecture of the church and the everyday life surrounding it. The scene is anchored by materials: rough-hewn bricks in the foreground, piled around a cart, and the weathered stone and mortar of the church itself. Mulder has likely engaged with well-established traditions and tools of photography, from camera obscura to darkroom techniques. These are not "high-tech" materials, but simple and elemental ones that have been carefully handled. The photograph is not just a depiction of a building, but also a glimpse into the labor involved in constructing and maintaining it. The bricks suggest ongoing repairs or new construction, reflecting the constant work required to preserve such structures. It is through such materiality, making, and context that we come to understand the full meaning of this photograph.