La cour de l’hôtel de Sens 

Emile Bernard sketched ‘La cour de l’hôtel de Sens,’ capturing the somber essence of gothic architecture. Notice the pointed arches and the towering structure. Arches are symbols of ambition that reach up towards the divine, a familiar motif we see echoed through history, from Roman triumphal arches to church entrances. Here, the arch motif emphasizes a reaching toward the heavens, in a space marked by decay and ruin. These architectural ruins may unconsciously evoke a sense of nostalgia and mourning, a poignant reminder of time's passage. The romantic ruin, a cultural artifact of the gothic revival, connects us to a collective memory of grandeur lost. This building, once a symbol of power, now crumbles, and invites introspection on themes of loss and the transient nature of human achievements, inviting viewers to contemplate the cyclical nature of history.