Schaapskudde bij een hek 1848 - 1888

This is a charcoal drawing by Anton Mauve, titled "Schaapskudde bij een hek", or "Flock of Sheep by a Fence." The fence, a strong, linear motif, acts as both a physical and symbolic boundary. It speaks to the themes of separation and protection, echoing ancient notions of enclosed sacred spaces, like the 'hortus conclusus' or enclosed garden. The gate itself is a potent symbol, representing a point of transition. Gates appear in countless myths and dreams, from the gates of the underworld guarded by Cerberus to the gates of paradise. The gate in this image has an emotional charge, and the collective memory is rooted in the idea of passage and the unknown. Notice how this drawing makes us question the cyclical patterns of life. Just as sheep are guided through a gate, so too are we led through different stages, constantly moving, returning, and reinventing the symbolic landscape of our minds.