Stadsgezicht te Londen en een architectuurstudie 1849 - 1895

Here, Willem Koekkoek’s pencil captures a fleeting glimpse of London's architectural essence. The high-peaked roofs command attention, echoing a Gothic yearning for the heavens. Notice how these spires pierce the sky, harking back to medieval cathedrals. Spires are more than mere decoration; they're visual cues, designed to evoke a sense of aspiration and spiritual elevation. Think of the Tower of Babel, the yearning to reach the divine. This visual echo resonates through centuries. Interestingly, the fence in the foreground, a common structure of everyday life, shares the same vertical directionality as the spires. Is it a means to reach God or to be kept out? What does it conceal? In their differing function, it is clear they share this same aspiration to escape and transcend. Through the centuries, they may change their purpose. The collective memory of these shapes is inescapable.