View of Sintra with the Castanheiros hills in the background 1840

Clementine de Brelaz rendered this lithograph of Sintra and its hills, capturing the essence of the Romantic era's fascination with nature's sublimity. The prominent mountain, crowned by Pena Palace, echoes the visual language of pilgrimage. Mountains have long symbolized spiritual ascent, places of divine encounter across cultures. Think of Mount Sinai, or the sacred mountains of Shinto. The pilgrimage motif, deeply ingrained in our collective psyche, surfaces here, evoking a sense of longing and spiritual quest. The palace atop the mountain, bathed in ethereal light, becomes a beacon, a symbol of hope. This echoes the visual strategies used by artists to depict the sacred throughout the ages. It invites us to contemplate our own journeys and the hidden desires that drive us. Just as the figures in the foreground are drawn to the mountain, we too are unconsciously drawn to symbols that promise transcendence. The image pulls at our subconscious, resonating with a primal desire to reach higher ground. The mountain calls to us, whispering of the infinite, of a spiritual home. This symbol has been revived, shifting its meaning with the ages, yet always retaining a core of spiritual yearning.