Toren van de Hervormde Kerk te Stolwijk 1904

This photograph captures the tower of the Reformed Church in Stolwijk. The tower, a vertical beacon, is a symbol of spiritual aspiration, deeply embedded in our collective consciousness since the Tower of Babel. Consider the obelisks of ancient Egypt, symbols of pharaonic power reaching toward the sun god Ra, or the minarets in Islamic architecture, calling the faithful to prayer. In each case, the tower motif transcends mere structure. It embodies a reaching beyond the mundane, a connection between earthly and divine realms. Here, this aspiration is mediated through the lens of the Reformation, a movement that sought to purify and return to the foundational texts of Christianity. The tower’s presence evokes a sense of reaching upward, a psychological yearning for transcendence and connection to the divine, mirrored in the enduring human quest for meaning. This is a visual echo resonating through centuries.