Gezicht op de Oude Vismarkt in Antwerpen 1868

Jean Théodore Joseph Linnig captured this market scene in Antwerp with delicate lines. At the center, the stone archway acts as a portal to the city beyond, a silent witness to the daily rituals of trade. Notice how Linnig frames the bustling activity with this archway, a form that has echoed through centuries. From Roman triumphal arches, symbols of imperial power, to the sacred arches in Renaissance paintings, gateways have always signified passage and transformation. Here, in this modest market scene, the archway symbolizes not just physical entry, but also the transition from the known to the unknown, the private to the public. The ruins beside the main building bring to mind the relentless passage of time and the notion of transience. These are the silent reminders of the past interwoven with the present. The arch motif, constantly evolving in meaning, reappears, reminding us of the continuous cycle of history, where old forms are re-imagined in new contexts.