Gezicht op de Herengracht te Amsterdam met het koor van De Krijtberg 1888

This sketch of the Herengracht in Amsterdam, featuring the Krijtberg church by George Hendrik Breitner, presents a stark, almost skeletal view of urban life. The church's spire, reaching skyward, is a familiar symbol, yet here, it's rendered with a sense of isolation, almost vulnerability. Consider how the spire, a beacon of faith throughout the ages, appears in different epochs—from the soaring cathedrals of the Gothic period to its presence here, amidst the bare trees of Breitner’s Amsterdam. Its fundamental meaning remains tethered to the divine, but the emotional resonance shifts. In earlier times, it symbolized collective hope and communal strength. Here, the spire's presence evokes a sense of melancholy. This transformation speaks to the way symbols absorb the anxieties and aspirations of each era, subtly altering their psychic weight. The church, once a symbol of unwavering faith, is now a ghost of its former self. The sketch, with its delicate yet assertive lines, captures the essence of the past, ever-present and evolving.