Drie zeilboten bij een pier aan de kust 1862 - 1901

Jules Guiette created this etching of three sailboats by a pier on the coast. It's an image with a pervasive melancholic atmosphere that evokes feelings of loneliness and isolation. The pier, a structure connecting land and sea, has long served as a potent symbol of journeys and the liminal space between the known and the unknown, and is rooted in ancient mythology where bridges or crossings were the domains of gods. One can recall the tale of Charon, ferrying souls across the river Styx. The image of the boat is another prominent and widespread symbol, and has also become a vessel carrying profound symbolic weight across cultures and eras. This symbol continues to echo through time, as the archetypal ship, evoking both the literal voyage and the metaphorical journey of life. Just like Charon's boat, it takes us from one place to another, with the end being unknown. These sailboats at the pier are powerful symbols deeply rooted in our collective unconscious, and as they linger in our consciousness, they continue to resonate within us on a visceral level.