Landschap met antieke bron bij rivier 1613 - 1695

Nicolas Perelle created this landscape with an antique fountain by a river with etching around the 17th century. The landscape is punctuated by classical ruins, a column standing amidst the foliage. This harks back to the long association of ruins with melancholy and reflection on the passage of time. We see the motif of ruins again and again. Consider its evolution: from the romantic ruins in Renaissance paintings to the stark, broken monuments in post-war photography. Here, water flows from the fountain, a symbol of life and purification. Water imagery is universally powerful; think of baptismal rites or ancient myths where rivers mark boundaries between worlds. It has been a recurring symbol in art and literature across cultures. Like the ouroboros, the symbol of a snake eating its tail, this image reflects the cyclical nature of time, where past and present intertwine in an endless dance. The ruin and water are potent reminders of humanity's place in the larger cycle of destruction and renewal.