Gezicht op de Royal Exchange te Londen 1745 - 1775

Jean-François Daumont's print captures the Royal Exchange in London, a hub of 18th-century commerce. Its dominant feature, the tower, is a symbol of aspiration, not unlike the Tower of Babel, reaching for divine heights through human enterprise. This striving echoes in various architectural marvels throughout history. Consider the soaring cathedrals of the Gothic period, emblems of religious fervor; now, it resurfaces in this temple of trade. The relentless pursuit of wealth is an ancient drama, an echo of Icarus flying too close to the sun. The Exchange, therefore, becomes a stage where merchants enact timeless roles in this ever-evolving play, driven by the collective subconscious—a relentless pursuit of prosperity, reflecting our deepest desires and anxieties.