Bosgezicht c. 1837 - 1865

Joseph Hartogensis created this landscape etching. At first glance, we see a simple woodland scene, but the forest—the bosgezicht—holds deeper symbolic weight. Forests have long been places of mystery, transformation, and peril. They are often viewed as liminal spaces in folklore, where the boundary between the known and the unknown blurs. Think of the dense woods in ancient Germanic myths, a space where heroes confront beasts and demons. Or consider the forests in fairy tales, where characters undergo trials and transformations, mirroring the collective unconscious as a space for psychological projection. In Hartogensis's seemingly benign landscape, we can recognize the shadows of these ancient associations. This compact image stirs a profound sense of introspection, beckoning us into a space of contemplation and the exploration of primal fears.