Figuurstudies c. 1922 - 1925

Here we see Otto Verhagen’s pencil drawing, "Figuurstudies", a collection of figure studies, each carrying subtle echoes of life's journeys. Note the walking stick, an emblem of support and guidance. It appears not only here, assisting an older figure, but also in the hand of the child, transformed into a playful tool. The stick as a symbol reminds us of the scepter, a sign of power, and the staff of the wanderer, hinting at quests and life's pilgrimage. Consider its recurrence: from ancient Egyptian art where pharaohs wielded staffs of authority, to the humble shepherd’s crook in pastoral scenes, the stick evolves, adapts, and persists. In a Freudian sense, the subconscious mind recognises it. Through Verhagen’s drawing, we are reminded that symbols like the walking stick never truly disappear. They resurface, transformed by time and context, linking us to the archetypes that reside deep within our collective memory.