The Old Garden of Sorrows 1889 - 1890

Jan Toorop’s work, "The Old Garden of Sorrows," presents a somber landscape rendered with pencil. Skulls scattered across the scene immediately evoke the 'memento mori' tradition— a symbol of mortality intended to remind us of our inevitable end. Here, Toorop also connects to the ancient image of the danse macabre, a motif found throughout the late Middle Ages, reminding us of the universality of death, which claims rich and poor alike. Notice how death and decay intertwine with life in this garden, reflecting a cyclical view of existence. The ghostly figures evoke a collective memory of mourning, an emotionally charged realm we all must face. The garden itself, often a symbol of paradise, is here inverted into a space of sorrow and remembrance. This transformation resonates with our deepest fears and anxieties, engaging us on a profound, subconscious level. This motif resurfaces continually, reflecting our ongoing dialogue with mortality, a theme that, as this drawing shows, is as relevant today as it was centuries ago.