Gezicht op een paleis aan de kust in Napels c. 1700 - 1710

This engraving, titled *Gezicht op een paleis aan de kust in Napels*, resides here at the Rijksmuseum and was produced by an anonymous artist. Notice how the architectural mass of the palace, rendered through precise linear strokes, commands the left, its imposing columns and detailed facade suggesting a seat of power. This structure contrasts with the open, airy expanse of the sea and sky on the right. The linear perspective draws the eye towards the horizon, creating a stage for the dance between architectural order and the natural world's freedom. The engraving employs a semiotic language where the palace represents established authority, while the sea and sky symbolize boundlessness. This interplay destabilizes a fixed interpretation, inviting us to consider the fluid relationship between power and nature. The figures scattered throughout, diminutive in scale, underscore human presence within a grand tableau, prompting contemplation on the self in relation to the world.