Bäume an einem Gewässer, im Hintergrund Gebäude 

Franz Kobell rendered this landscape with pen and brown ink sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. See how Kobell leads our eye from the dense thicket in the foreground to the building barely visible on the horizon? This visual pathway invites contemplation, reminiscent of the "hortus conclusus," or enclosed garden, a symbol found in medieval art representing a space of spiritual solace, and often associated with the Virgin Mary. But here, the garden opens, suggesting a journey beyond the self, a connection to the broader world. We see how the image of the 'garden' has transformed over time, from religious symbolism to a motif of personal and broader exploration. The emotional undercurrent, that longing for peace and understanding remains, even as the symbol evolves. The interplay between enclosure and openness engages us on a subconscious level, calling to mind the cyclical nature of life itself.