Gezicht op Umm Qais, Jordanië 1898

Johannes Lodewijk Heldring captured this landscape of Umm Qais in Jordan with his camera. Note the persistent motif of the stone wall, a boundary marking territory and civilization itself. From antiquity to the present, the wall appears as a symbol of division, yet also of protection, across various cultures. Recall the imposing walls of ancient Jericho, or the defensive perimeters of medieval European cities. They are echoed even in contemporary contexts, such as border walls marking national sovereignty, and shaping geopolitical relationships. Consider, too, how the emotional weight of walls and the physical barriers they create. The concept of walls, both literal and metaphorical, taps into our collective memory, and the psychological impact of exclusion and security. Here, Heldring’s walls stand as an enduring testament to human efforts, a powerful image that resonates across time and geography.