Gezicht op berg Salak after 1838

Willem Mathol de Jong created this graphite drawing titled 'Gezicht op berg Salak,' or View of Mount Salak. The mountain is a powerful symbol, deeply rooted in human consciousness. Across cultures, mountains often represent a connection between the earthly and the divine, serving as sites for spiritual encounters. Think of Mount Olympus in Greek mythology or Mount Sinai in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In Mathol de Jong’s image, Mount Salak looms large, its peak shrouded in clouds, evoking a sense of awe and perhaps even a touch of the sublime. This echoes the long-standing tradition of depicting mountains as places of profound spiritual significance. The mountain, viewed from below, stirs feelings of humility and reverence, engaging us on a deeply subconscious level. Like a recurring dream, the mountain motif resurfaces throughout history, evolving yet retaining its symbolic core.