Twee vlakken met elzentakken, varen en wolfsklauw before 1897

This image presents studies of foliage, depicting alder branches, ferns, and clubmoss. The arrangement of these plants evokes the ancient motif of the "locus amoenus," the idyllic, enclosed garden—a symbolic refuge that traces back to classical literature and art. But what are we to make of this impulse to recreate nature? Consider the fern, a motif that emerges time and again in art and design, from Victorian ornamentation to Art Nouveau. Its delicate fronds are symbols of shelter, of hidden knowledge, almost a primal understanding. Like Ariadne's thread, it guides us through the labyrinth of our memories. The fern embodies the psyche's yearning for a return to the natural world. In its shadow, we find a sanctuary, a place to unearth our deepest selves. This image reminds us that the desire to understand our bond with nature is a cyclical process, a constant return to the sources of life.