Fotoreproductie van een prent, voorstellende Johann Wolfgang von Goethe die schaatst op een bevroren rivier in Frankfurt c. 1875 - 1885

This anonymous print depicts Johann Wolfgang von Goethe gracefully skating on a frozen river in Frankfurt, surrounded by onlookers. Goethe’s dynamic posture—one leg extended, arms poised for balance—echoes the ancient motif of the striding figure, a symbol of action and purpose. Consider, for instance, the Archaic Greek kouros statues. There too, we find a figure stepping forward, embodying vitality and progress. Here, Goethe assumes a similar stance, not in marble, but on ice, trading the kouros's solemnity for a playful elegance. Yet, beneath the surface, both share a connection to the primal human desire for movement and advancement. This gesture is a form of visual memory passed through generations. In the collective psyche, ice skating might represent control over a precarious surface, a mastery of nature. It is an assertion of self amid the fluidity of life. Observe how the figure's emotional intensity draws the viewers in, evoking perhaps a shared subconscious understanding of balance and ambition. The dance on ice evolves, yet the core impulse remains unchanged.