Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 31 c. 1884 - 1891

This 'Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 31' was made by Willem Witsen, and can be found at the Rijksmuseum. Here, we see a figure bowed, almost consumed by shadow – a motif that echoes through art history, representing grief, penance, or deep introspection. Think of the grieving figures in Roman funerary art, or the representations of hermits in medieval manuscripts. This posture of bending or kneeling often carries the weight of humility or submission. In religious contexts, it signifies prayer or supplication, a reaching out to higher powers. Yet, within the sphere of psychoanalysis, it also mirrors a retreat into oneself, a symbolic return to the earth, or a search for solace in the primal, unconscious realms. Consider how this image engages us subconsciously: the figure's posture pulls us into a space of empathetic mirroring, inviting us to reflect on our own moments of vulnerability, and the cyclical return to postures of humility or introspection across diverse cultural expressions.