Zicht op het Hôtel des Invalides en de esplanade 1844 - 1845

This is Louis Jules Arnout's lithograph of the Hôtel des Invalides and its esplanade, its date is unknown. Observe how the dome of the Hôtel des Invalides looms large, a beacon in the cityscape. The dome, a universal symbol of power and authority, has its roots in ancient Roman architecture, finding perhaps its most prominent manifestation in the Pantheon. It was then reborn during the Renaissance and Baroque periods as an emblem of divine and royal power. The dome echoes through time, appearing in myriad forms across Europe, each instance imbued with local and period-specific meanings, yet always retaining its fundamental connection to concepts of dominance and control. This visual echo creates a powerful emotional resonance, tapping into our collective memory and stirring subconscious associations with power, security, and the sublime. The symbol of the dome in the collective memory is not linear but cyclical, constantly resurfacing, evolving, and adapting to new historical contexts, subtly influencing our perceptions.