Eikenhouten poort voor één van de ingangen van het transept van de Sint-Janskathedraal te Den Bosch before 1889

This oak gate, guarding an entrance to the transept of St. John's Cathedral in Den Bosch, stands as a silent sentinel. Its unadorned wooden panels and sturdy construction speak to a desire for both protection and reverence. Look closely, and you'll notice the repetition of vertical lines, creating a sense of solemnity. This visual rhythm echoes the columns of ancient temples, structures intended to inspire awe and introspection. The portal and the holy water basin – recurring symbols throughout the ages. Gates appear in ancient Egyptian art as divine thresholds, portals to the afterlife. Similarly, holy water, used for purification, appears across different religions and cultures as a symbolic gesture of spiritual cleansing. These motifs tap into our collective memory, evoking deep-seated emotions of fear, reverence, and hope. Their reappearance across history is not linear but cyclical, echoing and evolving through time.