Iconoclastic fury
Subject

The Iconoclastic Fury - the violent invasion of Catholic cathedrals by Protestants that resulted in the destruction of sculptures and images - came to the Oude Kerk in 1566. The absence of images is still visible today; empty spots on the pillars in the choir remind us of the years of the Reformation. This absence that is heavy with historical conflicts also has a strong visual effect that has astonished many visitors and inspired many artists who exhibited in the church. But how do we see that historical conflict today? Can we account for iconoclasm as sacrilege or a violation of our heritage? Or can we interpret such destructive instances as the rejection of the dominating institutional regime, ecclesiastic hierarchy and visual propaganda? What impact does iconoclasm have on current thoughts on the image and can the image reappear inside the church?