Ontwerp voor raam in het Noordertransept in de Dom te Utrecht c. 1934

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst designed this window for the North Transept of the Utrecht Cathedral with crayon and charcoal. The dominant visual symbol here is the vibrant red, a color long associated with passion, sacrifice, and divine love. Consider the use of red in medieval depictions of Christ’s Passion, where it signifies both his spilled blood and the intensity of his suffering. Now, contrast this with its appearance in Renaissance paintings, where it might adorn the robes of monarchs, symbolizing power and authority. This dichotomy—suffering versus power—reveals the complex psychological dance within us, oscillating between vulnerability and strength. Throughout art history, red's resurfacing in varied contexts demonstrates its symbolic persistence, evolving in tandem with cultural consciousness, and engaging us on a deep, subconscious level.