De Landpoort te Vianen 1786 - 1850

Gerrit Lamberts captured the Landpoort of Vianen in this delicate rendering. Dominating the view is the town gate itself, adorned with crosses. Once symbols of faith and protection, such as in crusader emblems or ancient Roman apotropaic symbols, these crosses now mark a civic space, the entrance to a town. The cross, throughout history, has been a multivalent symbol, shifting from religious significance to a mere marker of territory or boundary. Think of the cross as it appears on maps, denoting a place, stripped of its former sacred weight. Here in Vianen, the crosses on the gate echo ancient protective symbols, yet also function as delineators of municipal authority. Consider how these symbols persist, adapted to new contexts, their original force diluted but never entirely lost, reminders of humanity's deep-seated need for order, protection, and meaning in the spaces we inhabit. The emotional resonance lies in that tension between the sacred past and the secular present, each subtly informing the other.