Brun in front of his hermitage c. 1884

Wilhelm Steinhausen’s drawing presents Brun’s hermitage nestled into a hillside, evoking a sense of peaceful seclusion. The image is dominated by the motif of the enclosed garden or "hortus conclusus," symbolized here by the fence surrounding the hermitage. This imagery of enclosure has roots stretching back to medieval and Renaissance art, often representing the Virgin Mary’s purity and spiritual sanctuary. The hermitage in this image serves as a parallel, a refuge from the secular world where spiritual contemplation thrives. The symbolism of retreat and introspection is a recurring theme, appearing in various forms throughout art history—from depictions of anchorites in remote desert landscapes to philosophers contemplating in their studies. Each iteration reflects a deep-seated human desire for solitude and connection to the divine, and its cyclical return shows us the non-linear progression of symbols in art and culture.