Heuvelachtig boslandschap met gezicht op een dorp 1617 - 1660

Matthieu van Plattenberg etched this hilly forest landscape, featuring a village, in the 17th century. Dominating the scene, trees stand as silent witnesses, their forms echoing the ancient reverence for nature found in pre-Christian traditions. Consider the tree, an axis mundi, a symbol that bridges the earthly and the divine. Its presence reverberates through history, from the Tree of Life in ancient Mesopotamian art to the sacred groves of classical antiquity. Even in later Christian art, the tree retains its symbolic weight, often subtly alluding to the cross and the promise of rebirth. Here, the rendering evokes a sense of primal connection. It taps into our collective memory, reminding us of humanity’s deep-seated relationship with the natural world. This is no mere backdrop; it's an active participant, engaging viewers on a subconscious level, and evoking feelings of awe and introspection. This symbol has resurfaced and evolved across history, adapting and taking on new meanings in different cultural contexts.