Gezicht op de bergen bij Alexandrië after 1759

Jeanne Deny's "View of the Mountains Near Alexandria," captures the essence of the sublime through stark contrasts of light and shadow. The prominent motif is the imposing mountain, a universal symbol of nature's raw power and spiritual transcendence. Mountains have long been associated with sacred spaces, forming a bridge between the earthly and divine realms. Consider Mount Olympus in Greek mythology, home to the gods, or the symbolic mountains in the art of Caspar David Friedrich, who depicted mountains as places of reflection and spiritual awakening. Here, the mountain’s formidable presence suggests an overwhelming yet captivating force, stirring deep emotions and subconscious recognition of nature's might. This representation carries within it the cultural memory of mountains as places of both refuge and revelation, transcending Deny's era to resonate through the ages. The mountain thus echoes across time, an enduring symbol of human aspiration and the sublime.