Achter het Vleeshuis, Maastricht 1830 - 1899

This etching by Alexander Schaepkens captures a view behind the Vleeshuis in Maastricht, presenting us with a cityscape dominated by architectural forms. The towering church spire, topped with a cross, rises above the rooftops, a clear symbol of spiritual aspiration and the omnipresence of religious authority in the urban landscape. The spire, a visual echo of the Tower of Babel, recurs throughout history, from Gothic cathedrals reaching towards divine transcendence to secular skyscrapers asserting human ambition. Here, it is not merely a building element, but a signifier of the collective human drive to connect with higher powers. The very act of building upwards, a form of 'stylization', might be seen as a symbolic attempt to escape the earthly realm, reflecting mankind's continuous effort to rise above our earthly constraints. This image invites us to reflect on how our built environment is laden with subconscious desires, fears, and aspirations, passed down through generations.