Vischpoort te Harderwijk before 1931

Pieter Willem van Baarsel created this print of the Vischpoort in Harderwijk using woodcut. Notice how the imposing city gate looms large, not just as an architectural element, but as a symbol of transition and passage. The archway is not simply a functional element but a potent symbol. Its form resonates with the archways found in Roman triumphal arches, signifying entry and power. Consider also the psychological weight of the threshold. Throughout history, thresholds have been seen as liminal spaces—places of change, representing the boundary between the known and the unknown. The presence of the gate evokes the collective memory of security, defense, but also restriction and exclusion. The symbol has a non-linear progression. The gate is transformed and re-contextualized as human needs and cultural values evolve over time.