Gezicht op kasteel Stormerdijk bij Nieuwegein 1744

Jan de Beijer rendered this delicate ink drawing of Castle Stormerdijk near Nieuwegein in 1742. Note the stepped gable of the main house, a motif that echoes across the gatehouse, creating a visual rhythm suggesting stability and order. Stepped gables, ubiquitous in Dutch architecture since the Renaissance, carry echoes of ancient ziggurats, structures built to reach the heavens, symbolizing status and connection to the divine. This architectural statement, when placed on a domestic structure, elevates the status of the family residing there, while simultaneously grounding them in a long and proud lineage. Consider how such symbols of strength and aspiration seep into the collective consciousness. The stepped gable has evolved, recurring across Europe in different forms. It appears in civic buildings, subtly shifting to symbolize not only family status but civic pride and communal aspirations. This motif, rooted in history, continues to resonate today, evoking emotions of stability, heritage, and a sense of timeless continuity.