Vervallen stadspoort 1621 - 1642

Andries Both created this drawing of a dilapidated city gate using pen and ink. The ruin, with its crumbling walls, suggests the transience of human creation. This is not just a depiction of physical decay but evokes a deeper sense of melancholy and the inevitable decline that awaits all human structures. It harkens back to classical motifs of ruins as symbols of mortality, as seen in Piranesi's etchings of Roman ruins, which captured the grandeur and decay of a bygone era. The crumbling gate, a potent symbol of passage, resonates across cultures. It has been seen as a subconscious reminder of our own temporal existence. This sense of decay connects us to an ancient understanding of time as a relentless force, underscoring the cyclical nature of civilization's rise and fall. Each broken brick whispers tales of what once was.