Gezicht op Luik 1652

Julius Milheuser's engraving offers us a bird's-eye view of Liège, capturing its urban layout with remarkable detail. Dominating the imagery are the city's defensive walls, which have stood in Europe since Roman times, and the river Meuse, which recalls the ceaseless flow of time itself. The city walls aren't merely physical barriers. They reflect a psychological need for protection, a visual echo of humanity's age-old quest for security amidst chaos. Think of the walls of Troy, or even the defensive structures in medieval manuscripts, all testaments to our collective anxieties. The river Meuse, snaking through the scene, evokes not only geographical reality, but also the continuous, inevitable passage of time. One is reminded of Heraclitus's words, "No man ever steps in the same river twice," illustrating how such a symbol evolves. These motifs invite us to reflect on how deeply ingrained these psychological and cultural imprints are on our consciousness. Though each era reinterprets them, their fundamental essence persists, shaping our perceptions and informing our art.