Landschap met kasteel 1602 - 1649

This landscape with castle was created by Simon Poelenburg in the 17th century using etching. The scene’s central tower is a powerful motif, a vestige of human ambition piercing the sky. Towers were used as defensive structures but also served as symbols of power and vigilance, a visual echo of the Tower of Babel, eternally reaching, eternally incomplete. Think about the minarets of Islamic architecture, which call the faithful to prayer. The tower motif reappears throughout art history, each time carrying a blend of aspiration and the inevitable fall, reminding us of the human condition—striving for heights yet bound to earth. The collective memory of such structures engages our subconscious, drawing us into a deeper consideration of our own ambitions and limits.