Stadhuis van Oudenaarde 1888

This etching of the Stadhuis van Oudenaarde was rendered by James Ensor in 1922. Its architecture, a symphony of arches and spires, speaks to the enduring human impulse to reach skyward, to touch the divine. Notice how the arches, repeated throughout the structure, echo forms found in Roman aqueducts and Gothic cathedrals. They are not mere structural elements, but symbols of connection, bearing the weight of history and aspiration. The pointed spires, piercing the sky, recall the obelisks of ancient Egypt, emblems of power and transcendence. Consider the psychological weight of these forms, how they evoke feelings of awe and reverence. The Stadhuis, therefore, becomes more than a building; it is a repository of cultural memory, a stage upon which the drama of human existence unfolds, forever etched in stone and spirit.