Gezicht op de zuidkant van de abdijkerk van Saint-Ouen in Rouen c. 1880 - 1900

This albumen print captures the south side of the abbey church of Saint-Ouen in Rouen. Note the rose window, a dominant symbol in Gothic architecture, representing divine light and the Virgin Mary. This circular window is hardly unique to this church; it echoes across centuries and cathedrals, from Notre-Dame to Chartres. These windows serve as mandalas of sorts, drawing the eye and the spirit toward the heavens. The geometric precision, the kaleidoscopic patterns—they all tap into something primal in our psyche, a yearning for order and transcendence. Consider the wheel, too, an ancient symbol of the sun, of cyclical time. Here, it is Christianized, yet it retains that echo of pagan reverence for the cosmos. This cross-cultural borrowing reveals how symbols evolve, adapt, and persist, engaging us on a subconscious level. Isn't it fascinating how these motifs resurface and evolve in different contexts?