Pruisische wacht bij de Leidsepoort te Amsterdam, 1787 1787 - 1788

This etching by Jacobus Wijsman, created in 1787, depicts Prussian soldiers at the Leidsepoort in Amsterdam. Note the trees enveloping the guardhouse: trees are not merely background filler. Across cultures and epochs, they symbolize protection and the natural order. Consider, for example, the "tree of life," a motif found in ancient Mesopotamian art, often flanked by protective figures, mirroring the sheltering trees here. But consider also the psychological dimension. Are these trees truly protective or are they closing in, hemming in the Prussian guard in Amsterdam? Note how this motif surfaces again and again, from ancient myths to modern anxieties, evoking feelings of shelter or confinement, depending on the context. Thus, this symbol is perpetually evolving, forever engaging our collective memory.