Reproductie van een prent van het Bethlehem-portaal van de Collegiale kerk te Hoei before 1890

This is Victor Gaillard's reproduction of the Bethlehem portal of the Collegiale church at Huy. Notice the tympanum above the doorway filled with figures enacting sacred narratives. Consider the pointed arches, a hallmark of Gothic architecture. The arch, in its essence, symbolizes a bridge, a connection between the earthly and the divine. We see this form echoed in the pointed halos around holy figures in medieval paintings, lifting them towards the heavens. Think back to Roman triumphal arches – symbols of power and victory. The Gothic arch, however, elevates not earthly rulers but spiritual aspirations. It carries the weight of collective faith, a subconscious yearning for transcendence, embodying a powerful force that draws the eye upwards, engaging the viewer in a silent, spiritual dialogue. The arch, in this cyclical progression, is not just a structural element, but a vessel of cultural memory, constantly resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings.