Landscape near Arnhem 1900 - 1901

Piet Mondrian created this watercolor landscape near Arnhem, capturing a scene dominated by fields and trees under a wide sky. The church spire on the horizon speaks of spiritual aspiration. Consider, if you will, how the spire, as a symbol, has evolved through time. In ancient cultures, vertical structures like obelisks pointed toward the heavens, representing a connection to the divine. The Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages employed spires to draw the eye upward, inspiring awe and reverence, much like we may feel gazing at the sublime in nature. Even now, skyscrapers evoke ambition, a kind of earthly reaching for the sky. There's a primal urge in humanity to connect with something beyond our immediate existence. Mondrian captures this, transforming the spire into a poignant reminder of our timeless quest for transcendence, reappearing in new contexts, each imbued with the desires and anxieties of the present.