Gezicht op huizen en de Pont Neuf, te Parijs 1885

Philip Zilcken's etching captures a Parisian street with the Pont Neuf. The somber chimneys, dark roofs, and rows of windows under a cloudy sky create a palpable, melancholic mood. These visual elements are deeply symbolic. Think of the chimney, an age-old symbol of the domestic hearth, now looming over a city street, suggesting a fragmented sense of home. The windows, reminiscent of eyes, reflect a collective memory of urban life, observing and being observed. They echo across time, recalling the watchful eyes in Renaissance portraits, always hinting at unseen stories. The Pont Neuf, meant to connect, is seen in the distance, as if unreachable. There is a psychological tension here: a yearning for connection set against the isolation of urban existence. These symbols of home, observation, and connection continue to resurface, evolving in meaning, yet forever tied to our subconscious understanding of belonging and alienation.