Flusslandschaft mit zwei Reitern after 1776

Aert Schouman painted this river landscape with two riders in the 18th century. Here, the church spire pierces the horizon. The spire, throughout history, has been a symbol of reaching towards the divine, an aspiration that echoes in the Tower of Babel. Consider its presence, a motif that reaches back to ancient ziggurats, all monuments to humankind's longing for connection with the heavens. But here, there is no chaos, only a subtle, guiding presence that shapes the community nestled below. It is interesting how such a powerful symbol is here, at the service of portraying a peaceful country landscape. In the collective memory of European culture, the church is ever-present. This spire suggests an evolution, where the reaching tower now symbolizes order. The emotional weight of the image lies in this visual harmony, and the cyclical nature of symbols that evolve, reappear, and are re-purposed through generations.