[Fontainebleau Forest] 1860 - 1864

Eugène Cuvelier captured this evocative image of the Fontainebleau Forest, using a calotype process. The forest, a motif deeply embedded in our collective psyche, appears here as a space of mystery and introspection. Trees, symbols of life and growth, also hint at something darker, reflecting a primal, almost subconscious fear of being lost or overwhelmed. Think of the forest in ancient myths, like the Black Forest, or the dark woods in fairy tales such as ‘Hansel and Gretel’ – a place of danger but also of transformation. This duality, the forest as both a sanctuary and a site of peril, has resonated through centuries, finding expression in art from medieval tapestries to Romantic paintings. Here, the dense foliage and obscured path invite us to confront these ancient anxieties. The image stirs a sense of nostalgia, reminding us that symbols evolve and are reinterpreted, yet retain a powerful, elemental charge.