Boot aan kade bij avond 1885 - 1931

Frederika Henriëtte Broeksmit made this etching of a boat at a quay at night. Note how the dark sky is pierced by two distinct beacons of light, emanating from the ship, which cut through the darkness. These lights remind us of the ancient motif of illumination as a guiding force. Think of the lighthouse of Alexandria—a beacon of hope and direction. Here, they serve a similar symbolic function. We see this motif echo through time. Consider the Renaissance paintings of the Madonna, in which the divine light signifies spiritual guidance. Here, Broeksmit, through a modern lens, brings us back to the primal need for guidance, even in the heart of the night. The lights evoke a subconscious response: an acknowledgement of our vulnerability amidst the vastness.