Klein Duimpje 1894 - 1959

This colorful print, simply titled Klein Duimpje, presents a series of scenes illustrating the classic fairy tale. Note how the artist uses the recurring motif of the forest to represent the hero's journey into the unknown. Across cultures, the forest is a place of both danger and transformation, echoing ancient myths of initiation and self-discovery. Even in ancient Greece, the wilderness was conceived as a place of peril where the hero had to venture. Here, the use of the forest taps into our collective unconscious, reminding us of the trials and tribulations that shape our lives. Consider the giant, a figure that appears frequently in folklore, embodies primal fears and untamed forces. These figures recur throughout storytelling, from the cyclops in Homer’s Odyssey to the giants of Norse mythology, representing the chaos that must be confronted. This giant serves as an externalization of internal struggles, resonating deeply within our psyche.