Een onbekende man aan de oever met in de rivier een roeiboot c. 1888 - 1893

This photograph, of unknown date, was captured by Impi Backman, and presents us with a scene of contemplative solitude. Dominating the view is the tranquil lake, its surface mirroring the sky, and a small rowboat rests ashore, suggesting a pause, a moment of reflection. The lone man on the shore is a striking symbol, resonating with the ancient motif of the wanderer, the contemplative figure often found in Romantic landscapes. We see echoes of Caspar David Friedrich's wanderers, figures dwarfed by nature, seeking meaning. The boat itself is an age-old symbol of journeys, both physical and spiritual. Think of Charon's boat, ferrying souls across the river Styx, and consider how this boat suggests the crossing of boundaries, the passage from one state of being to another. The emotional power in this composition lies in its ability to evoke a sense of introspection, a quiet invitation to reflect on our own journey through life. This timeless symbol resurfaces again and again.