Ontwerp voor raam in het Amsterdams Lyceum 1927

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst designed this window for the Amsterdam Lyceum with chalk and graphite. Notice the powerful figure of a man amidst swirling waters, lifting a crowned child towards the light. This evokes the ancient myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha, who, after the great flood, repopulated the world, or even Noah saving his family. The man's heroic gesture, his upward straining, connects him to classical images of strength and salvation. Such motifs echo across cultures and centuries. Think of the countless depictions of Atlas bearing the world, or even Saint Christopher carrying the Christ Child across the river. Each embodies a struggle against overwhelming forces, a striving for redemption and renewal. Roland Holst taps into our collective memory, using water as both a destructive and purifying element, reminding us of the cyclical nature of history and the enduring human spirit. The emotional power of this image lies in the primal fear of destruction and the yearning for rebirth, a dynamic that continues to resonate within our shared cultural consciousness.