Like Vincenzo Castella, Rut Blees Luxemburg was invited to photograph Rouen, Le Havre and Caen for the exhibition "Voyages pittoresques. Normandie 1820–2009" presented in instalments at the museums of the three cities in 2009.

The artist walked Le Havre by night, wandering the streets and exploring the outlying neighbourhoods. As she walked along the fence of the abattoir, she discovered this pillar crowned with a sculpted ox head. The monumental quality of this architectural element conjures up the image of a Pagan idol. Signs of wear (spray of brownish liquid—blood?), the gloomy surroundings (barbed wire) and night lighting all contribute to the strange impression of a place and object associated with some sort of archaic rite.

Donated by the artist to MuMa