Hoofdingang van de school voor Chirurgie 1772 - 1792

Jean François Janinet’s etching presents the main entrance of the Royal School of Surgery. A long facade is formed of classical columns. The colonnade motif is a potent emblem, echoing the stoa of ancient Greece, a place for intellectual exchange and public life. These architectural forms speak to a desire to connect with the classical world. Yet, the meaning of such symbols shifts through time. Think of the Roman arch, originally a symbol of imperial power, later adopted by Christian architects as a sign of triumph of the soul. Here, the colonnade represents Enlightenment ideals: reason, order, and progress. The emotional impact of such ordered spaces is powerful. The linear perspective draws the eye, creating a sense of depth and perhaps subconsciously, of aspiration and advancement. It’s as though our collective yearning for structure finds its echo in these stone pillars. A visual manifestation of the Enlightenment values.