Riviergezicht met ondergaande zon 1798 - 1837

Ernst Willem Jan Bagelaar created this river view with a setting sun in the late 18th or early 19th century using etching techniques. The setting sun here, partially obscured by clouds, speaks to a long lineage of symbolic representations. Consider the sun's journey—its daily 'death' and 'rebirth'. The setting sun has often symbolized endings, reflection, and the cyclical nature of life itself. We see echoes of this in ancient Egyptian mythology, where the sun god Ra journeys through the underworld each night, only to be reborn at dawn. The Christian concept of resurrection also mirrors this symbolism. These universal motifs tap into our collective unconscious, evoking a sense of melancholy but also hope. Bagelaar’s delicate rendering invites us to contemplate our place within the grand, ever-turning wheel of time, where endings are inevitably followed by new beginnings. The sun is not just a celestial body; it is a mirror reflecting our deepest fears and aspirations.