Boomstudie 1813 - 1862

Barend Cornelis Koekkoek sketched this Boomstudie, or tree study, with pen in brown ink and gray wash in the nineteenth century, and it now resides in the Rijksmuseum. Here, we see more than just a tree. The tree is a symbol deeply rooted in the human psyche, representing life, growth, and interconnectedness. Across cultures, the tree appears as the axis mundi, the center of the world, connecting the earth with the heavens. Think of the Norse Yggdrasil or the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Even in modern art, we see echoes of this ancient symbolism. Mondrian's early trees, for example, capture the struggle between abstraction and representation, echoing the tree's persistent presence in our collective consciousness. The psychological resonance of the tree is undeniable. It speaks to our deepest selves, reminding us of our own growth, resilience, and the cycles of life. Each branch, each leaf, tells a story of survival, adaptation, and the enduring power of nature. This image is not just a study of form, but a profound meditation on the enduring symbolism of the tree.