Gezicht op Kleef, langs de Spuigracht

Hendrik Spilman's "View of Cleves, along the Spuigracht," is an etching that captures the town with the river as a vein that animates its existence. Dominating the townscape is the Schwanenburg Castle, a symbol of power and history. It rises above the other buildings like a fortress, a motif that has been repeated across centuries. Think of the medieval castles depicted in illuminated manuscripts. The symbolism of elevated fortresses goes back further still, to ancient ziggurats in Mesopotamia, where height was associated with the divine. Here, in Spilman's view, the castle perched atop the hill connects the earthly and spiritual realms. There is an inherent psychological appeal—a longing for stability and protection, and the reassurance of permanence against the ceaseless flow of time. Even today, our subconscious minds resonate with this symbolic language.