Gezicht op de Oude Hoofdpoort te Rotterdam 1839 - 1846

This lithograph by Cornelis Gerrit Verburgh captures the Oude Hoofdpoort in Rotterdam, presenting a seemingly ordinary cityscape, yet teeming with symbolic weight. Note the gate itself, a motif echoing across time—from ancient Roman city gates signifying power and order, to medieval portcullises representing protection. Here, the gate stands at the confluence of land and water. The presence of ships with their billowing sails, recall the Winged Victory of Samothrace, embodying triumph and the human spirit's mastery over nature. Consider the psychological dimension: gates are thresholds, spaces of transition. They evoke feelings of anticipation, and perhaps anxiety, as we prepare to leave the safety of the known for the uncertainty of what lies beyond. Like the ever-changing sea, this symbol is in constant flux, resurfacing in different forms, each reflecting the unique anxieties and aspirations of its age.