Landschap met bomen en gebouw 1867 - 1890

This is Philip Zilcken’s "Landscape with Trees and Building," an etching now residing in the Rijksmuseum. At first glance, this vista, composed of a building and trees, offers more than just a view. The trees, stoic and erect, command our attention, framing the composition with their solemn presence. Consider the tree motif. It isn't merely arboreal ornamentation, but a symbol laden with cultural memory. Think of the Tree of Life, or the World Tree, Yggdrasil, ancient symbols representing the cosmos's interconnectedness. In Zilcken's image, the trees, though rendered with a relatively modern hand, echo these archetypes. The building—a solid, geometric form that speaks to our collective yearning for structure and permanence—stands in stark contrast to the fluid, organic shapes of the trees. Its presence might stir in us a subconscious recognition, a cultural echo of humanity's quest for order amidst nature's chaos, a quest stretching back to the earliest civilizations. Thus, Zilcken invites us to find the continuities of our shared past.