Ruïne van een triomfboog in een haven 1659 - 1671

Frans Geffels created "Ruïne van een triomfboog in een haven" using etching techniques. Born in Antwerp, Geffels, like many artists of his era, navigated a world shaped by political conflict and social hierarchies, his art often reflecting these tensions. In this print we see not triumphant grandeur, but a crumbling archway. What does it mean to depict a ruin? It prompts us to consider themes of impermanence and the transience of power. The figures in the foreground, seemingly engaged in everyday activities, create a stark contrast with the decaying monument. This juxtaposition invites reflection on the lives of ordinary people against the backdrop of fading empires. Geffels perhaps asks us to consider who gets remembered by history, and what the relationship is between power and the populace. What stories are etched into the stones of our monuments, and whose voices are left unheard in their shadows?