Landschap met ruïne 1610 - 1614

This landscape with a ruin was created by Meynert Jelissen using engraving. The composition is structured around a play of contrasts between the solidity of the ruined tower on the right, and the natural landscape to the left, reflected in the water. The tower, with its crumbling walls, is placed against a radiant sun, evoking themes of decay and the transience of human structures, but also of the sublime. Jelissen uses the technique of engraving to create intricate details in the stonework and foliage, emphasizing texture and depth. The overall scene may be interpreted through a semiotic lens, where the ruin signifies the decline of past civilizations, while the surrounding nature represents enduring forces. It invites us to ponder the relationship between humanity and nature, structure and decay, and the ongoing cycle of construction and destruction.