Detail van een bedrijfsgebouw van C.P. Goerz before 1899

This photograph, found within a book, depicts the C.P. Goerz optical company building. Perched atop its façade is a statue, a powerful symbol whose echoes reverberate through art history. Consider the figure of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, often depicted with wings, poised in dynamic motion, much like this statue. Throughout the Renaissance, we see her re-emerge in various guises, adorning triumphal arches and allegorical paintings, embodying triumph and aspiration. It is not the literal representation of Nike, but the inherent idea of victory that is timeless and universal. Such gestures tap into our collective memory, stirring a deep-seated longing for success and recognition. The statue becomes a focal point, a visual embodiment of the company's ambition and its projection of power. Just like in ancient times, the statue serves as a reminder of human striving, perpetually reborn in new contexts.