Huis aan een gracht te Valkenburg c. 1888 - 1901

Anna Catharina Maria van Eeghen captured this house on a canal in Valkenburg with delicate strokes of watercolor. At first glance, it's a simple scene, yet the ladder leaning against the building is far more than a mere tool; it’s a symbol of ascent, of striving towards enlightenment or understanding. This motif resonates through centuries, echoing Jacob's Ladder from biblical lore, a conduit between the earthly and the divine. But here, the ladder leads only to the roof of a humble dwelling. This is a curious juxtaposition. Does the artist suggest that the divine can be found in the domestic, the ordinary? Consider how the ladder's presence invites us, subconsciously, to contemplate our own aspirations, perhaps reflecting a collective yearning for something beyond our immediate grasp. The ladder has, in its various depictions across time, signified not only physical ascent but also spiritual and intellectual striving. It has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.