Schets van een aquarium 1876 - 1924

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof rendered this aquarium sketch in pencil, capturing more than just a physical space; he evokes an entire underwater cosmos. The most prominent visual is the rock formation, a timeless symbol present across cultures, representing stability, endurance, and the primordial forces of nature. Consider the motif of the rock, and its journey from the anchorite's stone bed to the foundation stones of temples. Here, the rock offers a silent, stoic presence, and connects us to the earth’s ancient, geological processes. In other contexts, we find the 'omphalos' or navel stone in Delphi, which stands as a symbolic center of the world, echoing the psychological need for a grounding point amidst chaos. The aquarium rock has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings, but it is still engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level.