Gezicht op een stad aan het water 1825

Joannes Bemme created this cityscape view with etching. It presents a structured arrangement of symbolic figures and objects, framing a distant city. The composition is divided into distinct zones. Above, Mercury floats amidst clouds, flanked by classical arches adorned with coats of arms. Below, allegorical figures of a woman and Neptune sit amidst barrels, globes and bales of goods, while a cityscape stretches across the horizon in the background. Bemme employs symmetry, balancing the figures and architectural elements on either side. The use of light and shadow creates depth, drawing the viewer's eye from the foreground towards the city in the distance. Here, the etching operates as a symbolic language, using classical figures and mercantile objects to convey ideas about trade, prosperity, and civic identity. Mercury, as the god of commerce, presides over a scene filled with goods from around the world. The cityscape is both a literal depiction and an emblem of urban life, its skyline punctuated by windmills and ships. Consider how the formal arrangement of elements serves not only aesthetic purposes but also reinforces the intended message of civic pride and economic success. This artwork becomes a site where visual representation intersects with cultural values.