Struiken op een zandverstuiving c. 1891

Willem Witsen crafted this print of shrubs in a sand drift; the image resonates with the starkness of nature's endurance. The trees here, clinging to the dune, become potent symbols of resilience. These arboreal figures remind us of the ancient Tree of Life, a motif found across cultures, linking heaven and earth, a nexus of vitality. Consider how, in earlier mythologies, trees were oracles, their rustling leaves whispering prophecies. Here, Witsen presents us with nature stripped bare, the essential struggle for existence laid out. This sparseness evokes a primal landscape, echoing the deep, subconscious recognition of our own mortality and the transient nature of life. The cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, mirrored in the enduring yet ever-changing landscape. These symbols have persisted, morphing through time, ingrained in our collective psyche.