Gezicht op de Kathedraal van Reims 1818

This print, created by François Louis Couché, captures the Cathedral of Reims with an eye for symbolic weight. At first glance, it is the cathedral’s imposing façade that dominates, a testament to faith and architectural ambition. Yet, it is the pointed arches, reminiscent of reaching hands, that echo through time. These upward-striving forms are not unique to Reims. One sees them in Gothic cathedrals across Europe and, in an echo of ancient forests, linking the sacred grove to the house of God. Consider the oculus, the great rose window. In this context, it is both eye and sun, a window to the divine but also the divine itself looking back at us. This symbolism, deeply embedded in our collective consciousness, evokes a primal sense of awe and connection. Such symbols carry with them the emotional weight of generations, constantly reinterpreted yet eternally resonant.