Eiland Capri gezien vanaf zee tijdens de terugreis 1778

Louis Ducros captured this watercolor view of the Isle of Capri from the sea. The island itself is a powerful symbol, evoking the classical world and its associations with retreat and contemplation. Islands have long held a place in our collective psyche as sanctuaries, places of refuge but also of isolation. The sea, too, speaks to us, recalling ancient myths of perilous journeys and the vastness of the unknown, and inviting us to reflect on humanity’s relationship with nature. Think of the many islands in art history that represent a dreamlike, idealized world. From Renaissance paintings to Romantic landscapes, the island motif recurs, each time carrying echoes of the past. The island, like a dream, reflects our desires and fears, and in Ducros’s rendering, it’s this emotional interplay that captivates us. The Isle of Capri, seen here, is not just a geographical location, it is a vessel of cultural memory, continually reshaping itself in our imagination.