Notre histoire lue du ciel, cathédrales, temples et mosquées

The idea itself was good to begin with: to take advantage of the current fascination with aerial photography and show something other than a succesion of pretty or "impressive" landscapes. The avowed ambition of this collection is to have the public discover under another angle Humanity’s great monuments. Following a first volume that took us in 2005 to archeologic sites, in this second volume we are in places of faith, cathedrals, temples and mosques. For each monument and after a short historic resume one unfolds a page that lets us admire it on an imposing photograph four times the size that of a book format. From the large mosque of Samarra (Irak) to Our Lady of Brasilia and passing through the surprising Pogost of Kizhi (Russia), it is interesting to see how man has seeked to elevate himself to get closer to the divine. But if the authors really meant to show us documentaries, why do they impose on us large, fuzzy shots, undoubtedly over focused (Saint-Simeon, Samarra, Saint Sopjie, etc. ) ! And why not respect a basic principle that consists in first showing the details of the building and then, on the large fold out, replace the latter in its natural or urban environment. The stroll is very pleasant but a little over dimensioned by its own weaknesses.

• Notre histoire lue du ciel, cathédrales, temples et mosquées, par Henri Stierlin, Gallimard, 2006, ISBN : 2-74-241826-1, 35 €