Cipressen in de tuinen van Villa d'Este, Tivoli 1880 - 1910

Guglielmo von Plüschow captured this photograph of cypresses in the gardens of Villa d'Este, Tivoli. The dominant visual symbols are the towering cypress trees. In classical antiquity, these trees were associated with mourning and the underworld, often planted in cemeteries. The photograph’s composition enhances this somber symbolism. The dark trees frame the path, leading the eye towards the vanishing point, suggesting a journey or passage. This symbolic journey echoes in various cultural contexts, from ancient Egyptian funerary processions depicted in tomb paintings to the Christian concept of life as a pilgrimage. Even today, we feel the weight of these symbols. The cypress, though ancient, continues to evoke thoughts of memory, loss, and the cyclical nature of life and death, revealing how symbols persist, evolve, and deeply affect our collective consciousness.