Gezicht op de Hervormde Kerk te Vlissingen na de brand in 1911 1911

Here we have a photograph taken after the 1911 fire of the Reformed Church in Vlissingen. Note how the skeletal remains of the church loom behind the burgeoning tree, a stark contrast between destruction and life. The ruin evokes the ancient motif of the "vanitas," reminding us of the transience of earthly structures, even those built to symbolize the eternal. This theme resonates across cultures, from classical memento mori to Buddhist impermanence symbols. The flames reduce stone and timber to their base elements, a violent act of purification echoing the myth of the Phoenix, reborn from ashes. But even in destruction, there's a peculiar human drive to document, to record, a desire to assign meaning to chaos. Think of Pompeii, of the countless paintings of the Great Fire of London. The image is a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of destruction and renewal, resonating deeply with our subconscious understanding of life's ephemeral nature.