Gezicht op de stad Kleef 1688 - 1698

Jan van Call's delicate rendering of Kleef presents us with a city crowned by its imposing cathedral spires. These spires, piercing the heavens, echo the aspirations of the medieval builders, a reaching for the divine that resonates deeply within us. We see similar vertical thrusts in the minarets of Islamic architecture, or even the obelisks of ancient Egypt, all symbols of power and spiritual connection. The cathedral, as a beacon, also shares a lineage with the ancient Roman 'castrum', a fortified camp at the heart of a city. How potent the image of a high place is, and how often it reappears. Consider how the image of upward-reaching structures has morphed through time. What was once purely religious is now secular: skyscrapers! Our collective, subconscious desire to ascend persists, yet the object of veneration has shifted. Doesn't that tell us a lot about the psyche of modern man? This continuous evolution reflects our relentless pursuit of meaning and connection, bridging the sacred and the secular.