Titelhoofd met langpootmuggen en motten 1893 - 1894

This title page, made by Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof, features long-legged mosquitoes and moths rendered with graphic precision. These insects, seemingly delicate, evoke potent symbols of transformation, yet also carry darker associations with disease and decay. Consider the butterfly, a motif we see echoed through time, from ancient Egyptian tomb paintings symbolizing the soul’s journey, to Dutch Golden Age still lifes reminding us of life’s fleeting nature. Here, the moths and mosquitoes, rendered in stark black and white, might stir a sense of unease, a memento mori lurking amidst the promise of new beginnings suggested by the stylized foliage. The composition, with its dense, interwoven patterns, creates a visual tension, mirroring the psychological push and pull between attraction and repulsion. This echoes through art history, where such symbolic density can be found in varied forms across cultures. The artist taps into our collective memory, reminding us that even in beauty, the shadow of mortality persists.