Reproductie van een tekening van een liggende vrouw onder een parasol in de duinen, door Eugène Verdyen before 1883

This reproduction of a drawing by Eugène Verdyen, as rendered by Léon Evely, captures a woman reclining under a parasol amid dunes. The parasol – more than a mere shield against the sun – speaks to a long lineage of symbolic representation. Once a symbol of power and divinity in ancient cultures like Egypt and Assyria, the parasol evolved into an emblem of aristocracy and leisure. Consider the figures in Renaissance paintings, often sheltered by canopies or draped fabrics, signifying their elevated status and protection from the harsh realities of the world. Here, in the dunes, the parasol takes on new shades of meaning, echoing a sense of secluded introspection. It whispers of a retreat from societal demands, a personal sanctuary. Just as the labyrinth invites both exploration and entrapment, the parasol beckons with promises of tranquility, yet hints at an unconscious desire to cloak oneself from exposure. This intimate interaction, played out through the image, engages our own subconscious, stirring within us the ever-present tension between concealment and revelation.