De Nieuwe Lichttoren van Poeloe-Bras, Sumatra 1875 - 1876

This watercolor depicts the new lighthouse of Poeloe-Bras, Sumatra, a beacon of modernity against the backdrop of the Indies. At its apex, a flag waves, a symbol of the Netherlands' presence. But let us delve deeper, for even in such a seemingly straightforward image, echoes of the past reverberate. The lighthouse, with its promise of guidance, finds distant kin in the Tower of Babel. In ancient times, the tower was a testament to human ambition, a project reaching toward the heavens, as the lighthouse stretches towards the horizon. Note the lighthouse is also a symbol of control, in other eras manifested as watchtowers or city walls. The longing for light, for guidance, is an archetypal impulse that transcends cultures and eras. It manifests in our dreams, our myths, and, indeed, in the structures we build to pierce the darkness. This image is part of the ever-evolving story of humanity's quest for illumination, be it literal or metaphorical.