Gezicht op de Arno, de Ponte Santa Trinita en de koepel en klokkentoren van de Basilica di Santo Spirito 1744 - 1800

Johann Sebastian Müller created this print of Florence, capturing the Arno, Ponte Santa Trinita, and Basilica di Santo Spirito with etching. Notice how the composition is structured around horizontal layers of the river and architectural cityscape. The linear perspective directs our eye from the detailed foreground, filled with figures and boats, towards the more softly rendered background. Light and shadow work together to define forms and create depth. The etching technique, with its fine lines and hatching, constructs textures and tonal variations that give a sense of the atmosphere. Look how Müller uses the formal structure of the cityscape to create a sense of space and order but also to invite contemplation on the relationship between the built environment and natural world. This relationship is not fixed. The river’s surface, reflecting light, seems to dissolve architectural reflections, questioning solidity and permanence. This fluidity between structure and flux echoes broader philosophical concerns about change, perception, and representation.