Studie, mogelijk van een stadsgezicht c. 1888 - 1891

Willem Witsen sketched this city view with charcoal on paper, capturing a fleeting moment. Notice the recurring motif of the arch—repeated in the distant skyline and echoed in the shapes punctuating the composition. The arch, a symbol deeply embedded in our collective memory, has spanned epochs, from ancient Roman aqueducts to Gothic cathedrals. What is it about this form that speaks to us so profoundly? Perhaps the arch represents an opening, a threshold, or a transition. In the context of this cityscape, it might even evoke a sense of aspiration. The archway as a symbol echoes throughout art history, carrying different cultural significance. These repetitions are not coincidences, but rather manifestations of the enduring power of symbols to evoke emotions and ideas across time. It’s as if the human spirit continually rediscovers and reinterprets these archetypal forms, seeking to bridge the gap between the present and the echoes of the past.