The Fort of L’Esseillon, Val de la Maurienne, France 1835 - 1836

Joseph Mallord William Turner captured the Fort of L’Esseillon with watercolor, presenting us with a vision dominated by the motif of the fortress. The fortress, perched high on a mountain, symbolizes security and power. This visual element echoes through history. Think of medieval castles or even ancient city walls: they all represent mankind’s primal need for protection. The very gesture of building such a structure speaks to our collective anxieties and aspirations. Consider the Tower of Babel, or even the Pyramids, the aspiration to transcend earthly limitations. But the image of the fortress, so powerfully rendered here, also calls forth a sense of confinement. The sheer height and mass can evoke feelings of being trapped or isolated. In this interplay between aspiration and anxiety, the motif persists, adapting to each age, resonating with our deepest fears and dreams.