Twee roeiboten c. 1935 - 1936

Cornelis Vreedenburgh rendered this sketch of two rowboats with pencil. Dominating the view are two rowboats, reduced to their barest structure. The boat, since ancient times, has been a vessel of transition, a symbol of journeys—both physical and spiritual. Think of the mythical boatman Charon ferrying souls across the river Styx, or even the Egyptian sun god Ra traveling across the sky in his solar barque. Here, Vreedenburgh's boats evoke a similar sense of passage. The skeletal rendering strips away the superfluous, revealing a fundamental form that resonates with primal human experiences. The act of rowing itself—a rhythmic, repetitive motion—can be seen as a metaphor for the cycles of life and death, the constant push and pull between opposing forces. This image stirs within us a deep, almost subconscious recognition of our own transient existence, a powerful reminder of the endless journey we all undertake.