Gezicht op het Singel met de Ronde Lutherse Kerk te Amsterdam c. 1887 - 1897

Willem Witsen sketched this view of the Singel with the Ronde Lutherse Kerk in Amsterdam with graphite on paper. The dome of the church, a prominent feature, has long served as a symbol of unity, eternity, and the heavens. Its presence here cannot be viewed in isolation; rather, it echoes across centuries, from the Pantheon in Rome to the Florence Cathedral. The dome's shape, suggestive of a protective embrace, taps into our collective unconscious, reminding us of primal needs for shelter and security. Think of how similar forms have manifested, too, in secular architecture, as symbols of authority. Yet, the dome in Witsen's sketch, softened by the medium and the cityscape, presents a gentler presence. The dome's enduring symbolism speaks to our innate desire for order, for something stable and transcendent in the ever-changing currents of life.