Rustplaats op het ijs 1837 - 1840

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this print of a resting place on the ice. Note how the figures cluster together; the animals, the men and the dog huddle, seeking warmth and companionship amidst the stark, frozen landscape. This motif of gathering for warmth echoes across centuries, recalling the communal hearths of ancient settlements. The shared fire, a primal symbol of life and protection against the cold, finds a distant echo here in the implied warmth of human and animal connection. Think of ancient cave paintings where animals huddle together for warmth. This, too, speaks to our shared vulnerability. The dog, alert and watchful, is also a recurrent symbol of loyalty and vigilance that transcends time. From ancient Egyptian depictions of jackals guarding the afterlife to the faithful hounds in Renaissance paintings, dogs have always embodied our deepest needs for connection and protection. Just as we seek patterns in the stars to make sense of the cosmos, so too do we weave narratives around these recurring symbols, anchoring ourselves to the shared human experience. These images resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings.