Dimensions: image/sheet: 27.4 × 23.4 cm (10 13/16 × 9 3/16 in.) mount: 44.1 × 57.2 cm (17 3/8 × 22 1/2 in.)
Copyright: National Gallery of Art: CC0 1.0
Georg Schmidt's photograph captures the round tower and fortress of Nuremberg, Germany. At its heart lies the tower, an architectural symbol of power and protection. This image is a modern echo of ancient watchtowers and fortifications meant to defend and survey. The tower form, ever-present in human history, reappears across cultures: in the ziggurats of Mesopotamia or the minarets of Islamic architecture, it has been reimagined time and time again as a symbol of strength, spiritual aspiration, or connection between earthly and celestial realms. Like a phallus piercing the sky, the tower stirs something deep within our collective consciousness, a desire for permanence and control. Yet, over time, the tower's meaning shifts. In fairy tales, it becomes a prison; in modern cities, it represents corporate dominance. Schmidt’s photograph reminds us that these symbols are not fixed, but evolve, carrying layers of history and subconscious meaning with them.
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