Aankomst van ambassadeur Jean Gravier, markies van Vergennes, 25 augustus 1777 1777 - 1817

This engraving by Christian von Mechel captures the arrival of Ambassador Jean Gravier in 1777. Observe the church, its steps teeming with figures, a clear symbol of authority and spiritual power. Such grand entrances echo through art history. The motif of ascending steps appears in ancient Egyptian art, signifying a rise to divinity, and in Renaissance paintings, it represents spiritual ascent. Here, the steps lead to the church, the ambassador processing toward a renewal of alliance, both acts loaded with symbolic weight. Consider the collective memory at play. The act of ascending steps, deeply embedded in our cultural psyche, evokes feelings of striving, reverence, and transformation. This recurring symbol transcends time, resurfacing in various contexts. It is a cultural echo, an ‘engram,’ constantly reshaped by historical forces, yet forever tethered to humanity’s deep-seated longing for something beyond ourselves.