Gezicht op de Notre-Dame van Amiens before 1883

This photogravure print captures the Notre-Dame of Amiens, presenting a formidable façade adorned with pointed arches and rose windows. These aren’t mere architectural features; they are powerful symbols that express the Gothic yearning for transcendence. Consider the pointed arch, a testament to human ambition and divine aspiration. Echoes of this form reverberate through history, from the vaulted ceilings of ancient Rome to the soaring spires of medieval cathedrals. The rose window, a kaleidoscopic mandala, channels divine light into sacred space, evoking a sense of awe and spiritual awakening. Think of the countless iterations of the wheel throughout time, from the sun chariots of the Vedas to the circular diagrams in alchemy; the rose window is another of its descendants. These motifs are not static; they evolve, adapt, and resurface across cultures and eras. It's as if they are imprinted in our collective memory, surfacing in various forms to provoke a sense of reverence. This image touches on something profound within us, a subconscious recognition of the sacred, continuously reinvented across the ages.