Gezicht op het Oosters- of Hanzehuis in Antwerpen 1868

This detailed etching by Jean Théodore Joseph Linnig captures the Oosters- or Hanzehuis in Antwerp, a significant trading center. Dominating the facade is a clock, a symbol that extends beyond mere timekeeping; it embodies the structured rhythms of commerce and civic life. The prominence of the clock is reminiscent of the celestial clocks seen in medieval and Renaissance art, where time was aligned with cosmic order. Consider its evolution: from marking monastic hours to regulating market exchanges. The clock's presence here reflects a shift toward a more secular, mercantile emphasis, yet it retains a vestige of that earlier quest for cosmic harmony. This is how a city’s time, managed and displayed, influences the collective psyche of its inhabitants. It evokes a sense of purpose and collective identity. A constant reminder of the fleeting moment, the clock engages us on a deeper level, linking our individual existence to broader historical currents. And so, the clock, in its steady ticking, invites us to consider the cyclical nature of time itself.