Muren van Babylon 1572

Philips Galle's "Muren van Babylon," made around 1572, is an engraving that shows a bustling vision of the ancient city. Central to this image is the Tower of Babel, spiraling skyward, a motif laden with ambition and divine challenge, echoing ancient ziggurats. Note the lion at the gate, a symbol of power and vigilance, an ancient Mesopotamian emblem that has been passed down through centuries, guarding temples and palaces. Even today, the image of the lion triggers an emotional response tied to ideas of strength and sovereignty, persisting in our collective memory. Consider how the architectural forms themselves, the walls and towers, speak to a primal human impulse to construct, to protect, to defy mortality through monumental creation. The city, vibrant and teeming, is a testament to human ingenuity and the drive to create order and permanence. This collective effort, however, carries an inherent tension, a subconscious fear of overreach, reminding us of the cyclical nature of civilizations, rising and inevitably falling.