An einem Damm ziehen Matrosen ein Schiff vorbei 

Cornelis Thim created this artwork of sailors pulling a ship along a dam with pen and gray ink. The image is dominated by maritime activity, with its ships evoking a sense of passage and trade across waters. The presence of the vessel being pulled along a dam resonates with a symbolic journey, a collective effort. Consider how in ancient Egyptian art, boats were symbols of passage into the afterlife. This symbol crosses both time and cultures. It appears on Greek pottery and Viking ships as potent emblems of transition. This motif has evolved over time, but still, it resonates with the subconscious—our primal understanding of life as a journey. In this artwork, the image of laboring figures reminds us of our shared endeavors, and it speaks to the collective human experience across time.