Gezicht op de achterzijde van kasteel San Salvatore en Messina vanuit de haven 1778

Louis Ducros painted “View of the back of the Castle of San Salvatore and Messina from the harbor” in watercolor, depicting a fortress by the sea. The fortress, a motif of power and protection, appears here solid and imposing. Fortifications, like the one we see here, are archetypes found across cultures and history. From ancient city walls to medieval castles, they symbolize the human desire for security. But paradoxically, these structures also represent division and conflict, marking boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’. Think of the Tower of Babel, a structure meant to reach the heavens. Its ambition led to confusion and separation. In this image, the fortress, while seemingly protective, also suggests a barrier, a line drawn in the sand. These visual cues are powerful forces, engaging our subconscious fears and desires, reminding us of our eternal quest for safety in a world of inherent uncertainties. This cyclical narrative of building up and breaking down persists, and appears throughout art history, continuously reappearing, evolving, and adopting new meanings in various historical contexts.