Twee personen achter een grafsteen op het Cimetière du Grand Jas in Cannes 1889 - 1893

Johanna Margaretha Piek captured this photograph of two people amidst the tombstones of the Cimetière du Grand Jas in Cannes. The crosses, stark against the sky, are powerful symbols. The cross, of course, is an ancient emblem, predating Christianity. In its most primal form, it represents the intersection of the earthly and the divine. We see it echoed in the Romanesque period, adorning reliquaries and cathedrals, promising salvation. But consider its earlier life, as an ancient sun symbol, or even a representation of the four cardinal directions. It reappears across cultures, each time layered with new meanings, yet always retaining a connection to something fundamental. This image subtly evokes a sense of contemplation. It connects us to the universal experience of mortality. The cross evolves, shifts, and yet, it persists. It echoes through time. Its presence here is a reminder of our shared human experience.