Vissersboot op het strand 1827 - 1891

Johannes Bosboom made this sketch of a fishing boat on the beach with graphite. Notice the towering mast of the ship: it rises skyward, a symbol deeply rooted in human consciousness. Since antiquity, vertical forms like trees, obelisks, and yes, masts, have symbolized a connection between the earthly and the divine. Think of ancient Egyptian obelisks, reaching for the sun god Ra, or the sacred trees in countless cultures, acting as axes mundi, linking the underworld, the earth, and the heavens. Even the maypole celebrations across Europe resonate with this primal impulse to unite with higher realms. This image, though seemingly simple, taps into a collective memory, stirring a sense of aspiration. It is a profound symbol that transcends time, its persistent recurrence attesting to its enduring power in the human psyche.