Gezicht op een stad in China 1670

This is an anonymous print of a city in China, now at the Rijksmuseum, featuring a skyline dominated by a pagoda. The pagoda, with its tiered structure, goes beyond mere architecture. It is a symbol deeply rooted in Buddhist cosmology, representing a cosmic mountain that links the earthly and the divine. Consider how this form echoes the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia. Though geographically distant, both share a human desire to create a bridge to the heavens. This motif reappears, transformed, in Renaissance depictions of the Tower of Babel, a symbol of hubris and the confusion of languages, yet still, echoes the same deep-seated impulse to reach beyond our mortal limits. Here, the pagoda instills a sense of serenity, a visual reminder of humanity's place within a larger, spiritual order. The enduring presence of the pagoda speaks to the cyclical nature of symbols, how they evolve, adapt, and continue to resonate across cultures and epochs.