Gezicht op een plas omringt door bomen 1876 - 1910

Alphonse Stengelin's "Gezicht op een plas omringt door bomen" captures a serene waterside landscape with a delicate dance of light and shadow. The solitary birch tree is a potent symbol in Northern European art, often representing fragility, purity, and new beginnings. In Romanticism, this motif echoes a deep longing for nature's unspoiled realms. Think of Caspar David Friedrich’s landscapes, where trees stand as silent witnesses to human emotion. Note how Stengelin renders each leaf and branch with meticulous detail, evoking a sense of intimacy and contemplation. The cow's head is a powerful symbol of fertility, nourishment, and nature's bounty, reminiscent of ancient agricultural societies. But also a symbol of gentleness, and the quiet, watchful presence of nature. Such symbols are not static; they evolve. The tree might become an emblem of resilience, while the water suggests purification. These images tap into our collective memory, and the shared human experience of nature's enduring power, calling to something deeply rooted within us.