Boer in een landschap c. 1884 - 1887

Willem Witsen made this drawing with chalk, depicting a farmer in a field. The inverted figure immediately grabs our attention, defying gravity and conventional perspective. This motif of inversion is ancient, echoing alchemical symbols of transformation, where turning something upside down signifies a process of change, a death of the old to make way for the new. Consider the Hanged Man in Tarot, suspended by one foot, representing sacrifice and surrender for enlightenment. In religious art, we might recall the inverted cross of Saint Peter, a symbol of humility and martyrdom. Here, the farmer's posture evokes a sense of vulnerability, perhaps even a plea, as if rooted in the soil, drawing strength from the earth itself. This isn't merely a topsy-turvy man; it’s a visual metaphor that tugs at our subconscious, reminding us that sometimes, to understand our world, we must look at it from a different angle. The symbol continues to appear in modern-day depictions of helplessness and social commentary.