Vogelvluchtaanzicht op het Sint-Maria klooster, 1544 1729

This is a bird's-eye view of the Sint-Maria cloister, rendered in 1544 by an anonymous hand. The image is dominated by the cloister's architectural form, a symbol of spiritual retreat and communal religious life. The motif of birds in flight above the building is especially striking. Birds have long served as potent symbols, messengers between the earthly and divine realms. We can see them similarly depicted in ancient Egyptian art, where birds often carry the souls of the deceased, and in classical mythology, as vehicles of the gods. The image of flying birds is not static; it perpetually renews itself across time. Consider the psychological impact. The high vantage point gives viewers a sense of detachment, yet the soaring birds evoke longing for spiritual transcendence. The symbol of the bird, therefore, resurfaces continuously, evolving yet eternally linked to its primordial roots.