Altes Stadttor mit zwei Türmen 

Domenico Quaglio rendered this old city gate with towers in ink and watercolor. The gate, a potent symbol of transition and passage, looms large, evoking centuries of communal life and defense. The arched gateway is reminiscent of triumphal arches of Roman antiquity, structures not only symbolizing military victory but also demarcating civic boundaries. This arch, like those ancient forerunners, serves as a threshold, a point of crossing into the unknown, laden with the hopes and fears of those who pass beneath it. Notice the clock or shield, barely visible in the center. Like the Wheel of Fortune, it reminds us of the cyclical nature of time and the ephemeral quality of human existence. The image engages our collective memory, triggering subconscious associations with protection, transition, and the relentless march of time.