Gezicht vanaf de oever van de Guadalquivir, in de verte de Torre del Oro en het koninklijk paleis van Sevilla 1880 - 1905

Emilio Beauchy captured this view of Seville and the Guadalquivir in a photograph. The Torre del Oro, or Tower of Gold, commands our attention. Originally built by the Almohad dynasty, it stands as a watchtower, its name possibly derived from the golden sheen it once cast upon the river. This tower isn’t merely a structure of defense; it echoes the pharos of Alexandria, a beacon of power and strategic importance. Such towers resonate with a collective memory of maritime strength and dominion. The river itself, the Guadalquivir, serves as a lifeline—connecting cultures, enabling trade, and bearing witness to the ebb and flow of civilizations. Rivers are the arteries of civilization, a motif recurrent throughout art history, embodying both the promise of prosperity and the threat of the unknown. Beauchy’s photograph captures not just a place but a moment where the ancient symbol of the tower and the vital river converge, inviting us to reflect on the enduring dance between power, nature, and human ambition.