Zicht op het meer van Nemi en het dorp Genzano di Roma 1840

This print, made by François-Louis Français, depicts Lake Nemi and the village of Genzano di Roma. Dominating the foreground is a large tree, its roots seemingly intertwined with the water itself. Trees, throughout history, have been potent symbols of life, growth, and connection between the earthly and spiritual realms. We see this motif echoed in ancient mythologies where sacred groves were sites of ritual, or in medieval tapestries where the "tree of life" signifies renewal and immortality. Think of the World Tree Yggdrasil, its roots reaching into the realms of the gods, of men, and of the dead, or the Bodhi tree, under which Buddha achieved enlightenment. Here, the tree's presence evokes a sense of timelessness, hinting at the persistence of nature's cycles, and how, subconsciously, it reminds us of our own fleeting existence within a much grander, enduring pattern.