Gezicht op de Sint-Laurens buiten de Muren, te Rome 1648 - 1712

This is an etching depicting the Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura in Rome. Dominating the composition is the basilica's tower, which stands as a visual echo of the ancient Roman watchtowers. Towers have always been a potent symbol, reaching towards the heavens, embodying mankind's aspiration for the divine. You see them in the Tower of Babel, a symbol of human ambition, or as defensive structures in medieval cityscapes. The basilica’s tower blends spiritual yearning with temporal authority. But notice how the basilica itself stands beyond the city walls, suggesting a sacred space set apart. This separation recalls the earliest Christian practices, where sanctuaries were often located outside the urban core, in places of refuge. It is a recurring theme - a place of safety versus the outside world. This artwork is a thread in the tapestry of cultural memory, linking past and present, sacred and secular, in the eternal dance of symbols.