Torenspits van de Sint Lievensmonsterkerk te Zierikzee, boven 1619 - 1799

Anthonis Pietersz. van der Willigen created this detailed drawing of the spire of the Sint Lievensmonsterkerk in Zierikzee using pen in the early 17th century. The spire dominates the composition, rendered with meticulous detail. The artist emphasizes verticality, with numerous lines and pointed arches reaching upwards. Notice how the intricate tracery and ornamentation create a complex pattern, almost like a delicate web, contrasted against the plain background. The drawing’s structure uses line to convey both the architectural form and a sense of the ethereal. This emphasis on structure relates to the broader artistic and philosophical concerns of the period, reflecting a fascination with order, geometry, and the symbolic representation of religious architecture. The spire, as a semiotic sign, embodies the soaring aspirations of the Gothic style. It communicates a reaching for the heavens, even as the delicate lines hint at the fragility of human ambition. The artist uses line to convey an interplay between tangible form and intangible ideals. The drawing serves not only as a visual document but also as a meditation on the relationship between material structure and spiritual aspiration.