Schetsen van vogels 1847 - 1899

Jacob Maris sketched these birds with pencil on paper. Here, the bird is rendered not as a mere animal but as a vessel of deeper symbolic weight. Birds, across cultures, have long embodied the soul's journey and the liberation from earthly constraints. In ancient Egypt, the soul was often depicted as a bird, taking flight after death. One can trace the symbolic flight of birds back to Renaissance paintings, where they flutter amidst scenes of annunciation. Here, they evoke a sense of divine presence. Even in modern literature, birds act as metaphors for freedom, escape, and spiritual awakening. The presence of birds evokes an emotional state of longing and the melancholic yearning for what lies beyond our grasp. We see a tangible connection to shared human experiences, echoing through time and psyche.