Preekstoel in de Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele, Brussel 1860 - 1866

Curator: Okay, standing here, what strikes me most about this scene is how imposing it feels. The photograph, probably taken between 1860 and 1866, captures a pulpit, the “Preekstoel in de Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele, Brussel." The anonymous artist definitely knew how to work with site-specific materials to deliver drama. What is your first impression? Editor: Initially, I perceive an overwhelming darkness, almost gothic, but within that shadowiness, there is a structured complexity to how the image is assembled. The composition uses the stereoscopic photographic technique effectively to add an unsettling dimensional depth, almost like a diorama. Curator: The history of images, as complex as that, makes my head spin. I feel I’m falling into the photograph! This reminds me of how some history is built, bit by bit, into the collective, right up to these monumental works. You can sense its ambition. Editor: Indeed, the formalism here—the use of lighting, the construction of perspective—aims to provoke an intense, immediate impression on the viewer. Note how the details fade slightly out of focus. Curator: That soft focus creates a ghostly atmosphere, perfect to emphasize its role as more than a mere item. It's supposed to represent a physical idea. To stand in the cathedral looking up at that detail... it makes my neck hurt to imagine. The architecture alone conveys this grand theater where life and salvation intertwine. It gives off these "realism" vibes in a slightly off-putting way. Editor: That intersection is essential. Realism manifests in its stark depiction of detail, yet romantic idealism inflates it into grandeur. This contrast is the genius of the piece—grounding the ephemeral nature of faith within very solid architectural components, transforming that specific space with art. Curator: To think people used to gather and be inspired right where the photo was taken; it links those present and ourselves through time and space! Maybe we just need faith… or comfy shoes. What do you think people will take away from all that grand realism and idealism, standing here? Editor: The convergence of detailed documentation, its complex artistry, I'd hazard—this creates both a testament and testament of intent, to transform a physical and spiritual experience to which they may well connect in both past and present.