Gezicht op de buitenplaats Hof van Domburg, 1743 1754 - 1792

Hendrik Spilman made this print in 1743, depicting the church of Westkapelle. Its towering spire against the skyline is an assertion of faith and community, yet the ruinous state evokes a sense of loss, a reflection of the relentless passage of time. Consider the motif of the church tower. Throughout the medieval period and beyond, such towers punctuated the urban landscape, not merely as religious symbols but as visual anchors. This image connects to others across Europe, where similar structures stand – or stood – as testaments to both spiritual aspiration and the vicissitudes of history. Think of the Tower of Babel, a narrative deeply embedded in our collective consciousness, symbolizing humanity's ambition and its inevitable fall. The Westkapelle church, standing in partial ruin, echoes this ancient theme. The image stirs a primeval fear of decay, yet it also evokes a sense of hope, as the spire still reaches skyward, an enduring symbol of resilience. The cyclical nature of destruction and renewal plays out here, inviting us to reflect on our own fleeting existence within the grand tapestry of time.