Reizigers in de Alpen met het portret van Albrecht Haller 1785

This title page, created in 1785 by Johann Joseph Störchlin, promises remarkable views of the Swiss mountains, accompanied by descriptions. Note the small sprig of foliage—a seemingly simple motif, yet laden with symbolic weight. Since antiquity, the sprig has been used as a symbol of nature, life, and even resurrection across cultures. Think of the olive branch, emblematic of peace and renewal in both Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian traditions. The image of a flowering branch taps into deeply rooted associations with spring, rebirth, and the cyclical rhythms of nature. It elicits feelings of hope, growth, and the eternal return, engaging our subconscious on an elemental level. The symbol transcends time, resurfacing in various contexts and continuing to evoke profound emotional and psychological responses.