Rechthoekig veld met bladranken met een figuur en een brandende urn, boven twee kleine rechthoekige velden c. 1864 - 1894

Henri Cameré created this drawing, "Rechthoekig veld met bladranken met een figuur en een brandende urn, boven twee kleine rechthoekige velden," using pen in brown and gray ink, and brush in gray and blue. This drawing gives us a glimpse into the aesthetics and values of its time, a period characterized by rigid social hierarchies and prescribed gender roles. Notice the detailed rendering of the acanthus leaves and the careful symmetry of the composition. These elements reflect a desire for order and control. The inclusion of a burning urn, a symbol often associated with mourning and remembrance, evokes a sense of mortality and the fleeting nature of life. The figure atop the urn, while classically rendered, feels melancholic, perhaps pointing to personal losses. As we look at this drawing, we see a reflection of the artist's own negotiation of life's transience within the societal structures of his time.