East End of the Abbey Church of Saint Georges de Bocherville, near Rouen, Normandy 1818

John Sell Cotman rendered the East End of the Abbey Church of Saint Georges de Bocherville using watercolor over graphite. Note the repeated motif of arches. In early Christian art, the arch symbolized heaven, the dwelling place of God, and by extension, divine protection and favor. We can see how the arch evolves into more complex forms in Gothic cathedrals. Think of the pointed arches that reach towards the heavens, embodying the aspirations of the faithful. This design appears across cultures: from Roman aqueducts, to Islamic architecture. The arch consistently represents a bridge between the earthly and the divine. The repetition of this form here might trigger a deep-seated sense of security and connection, echoing our earliest experiences of shelter and embrace. Over time, symbols and iconography may shift, but they retain a psychological resonance, continually shaped by collective memory.