Gezicht op de daken van huizen 1913 - 1917

Alexander Shilling sketched ‘Gezicht op de daken van huizen’ in 1859. What captures the eye here are the rooftops, standing as silent witnesses to the lives lived beneath them. Throughout art history, the roof has been a symbol of shelter and domesticity, from the humblest cottage to the grandest palace. Think of the recurring motif of the house in dreams, often interpreted as a representation of the self. These aren't just roofs; they are psychological containers, embodying the hopes, fears, and memories of their inhabitants. We see how in antiquity, the form and structure of a house was a mirror of the cosmos, embodying safety and family. In our subconscious, a drawing like this evokes not just a structure but the collective unconscious, the inherited reservoir of human experience. These forms echo through time.