Gezicht op de Sint-Olofskapel (Oudezijds Kapel) te Amsterdam c. 1770 - 1783

This is Hermanus Petrus Schouten's etching of the Sint-Olofskapel in Amsterdam. Observe how the steeple pierces the sky like a needle, drawing our gaze upward, a symbol of aspiration and the link between the earthly and the divine. Similar spires have adorned cathedrals across Europe for centuries. Yet, their symbolic power is rooted in something far older. Think of the obelisks of ancient Egypt or the ziggurats of Mesopotamia, all reaching skyward, attempts to commune with powers beyond our grasp. This primal impulse, this deep-seated need to connect with something greater, is what drives the creation and perpetuation of such symbols across millennia. The steeple, a symbol of cultural memory, taps into our collective subconscious, urging us to seek meaning beyond the everyday. It demonstrates how certain images persist, evolve, and ultimately, reshape our understanding of the world around us.