Ruïne in een haven op Bornabi before 1875

This monochromatic image by George Smith captures a ruin in a harbor at Bornabi using an engraving technique. The picture plane is divided into zones, creating an interplay between the light and shadow in the depths of the jungle. The composition presents a complex arrangement of dense foliage, with the linear trunks of the palm trees. The artist uses the contrast between the detailed foreground and the blurred background to suggest depth and distance, drawing the eye through the pictorial space. The ruins themselves become signs of a lost history, prompting us to question the nature of civilization, power, and the passage of time. Smith’s formal choices invite us to contemplate how the visual structure of the artwork reflects and destabilizes established meanings, engaging with broader philosophical concerns about perception and representation.