Sculptuur van een engel met een zonnewijzer aan de gevel van de Kathedraal van Chartres c. 1875 - 1900

This photograph by J. Kuhn captures a sculpture of an angel with a sundial, adorning the facade of the Chartres Cathedral. Chartres Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, embodies the religious fervor and artistic innovation of its time. This image invites us to contemplate how religious institutions use art to convey their values and beliefs. The angel, a messenger of God, is fused with the sundial, a tool for measuring time, suggesting a divine regulation of earthly existence. Consider the angel's androgynous features. It challenges traditional gender norms, embodying both masculine strength and feminine grace. The sundial serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of time. The sculpture’s placement on the cathedral facade makes it an open, public declaration of faith. The photograph itself transforms the sculpture into an artifact, separated from its original architectural context. The sepia tones evoke a sense of nostalgia and historical distance, as if to remind us of the passage of time.