Dorpsgezicht 1866 - 1922

Willem Cornelis Rip sketched this village scene, known as Dorpsgezicht, using graphite on paper. See how the church spire dominates the horizon, an architectural assertion of faith and community. The spire, reaching heavenward, is a symbol as old as civilization itself. We see echoes of it in ancient obelisks, Egyptian pyramids, and even the minarets of the Islamic world. Each reaching towards the divine, connecting the earthly realm with the cosmos. But the spire here has a particularly Western lineage. Consider its relationship to the Gothic cathedrals, those towering achievements of human ambition and spiritual yearning. Over centuries, its meaning has shifted, embodying not just religious devotion but also civic pride and the march of progress. The symbol persists, cycling and resurfacing, each time imbued with a fresh cultural significance.