Stadspoort van Gorkum 1640 - 1699

Jan Hackaert's "Stadspoort van Gorkum," a drawing now held at the Rijksmuseum, presents us with a fortified city gate reflected in the water. The gate, a symbol of transition and passage, stands as both a barrier and an invitation. We see variations of this motif across time and cultures. Think of the Roman arches, symbols of imperial power and victory, or the gates of Renaissance city-states, emblems of civic pride and protection. Even in dreams, gates often appear as powerful symbols of the subconscious, representing significant life changes. Notice how the reflection in the water creates a liminal space, blurring the boundary between the real and the mirrored world. This echoes the fluidity of memory, where the past is never fixed but constantly re-imagined and re-interpreted. The city gate’s image is not static; it is continuously reshaped by time and experience. This eternal return and continuous transformation is something to behold.