Rivierlandschap met een boot 1656 - 1726

Johannes Glauber created this landscape etching in the late 17th or early 18th century, and it features several figures wading through a river, framed by trees and distant mountains. The river, a symbol of life's flow and passage, is central here. The act of crossing water carries deep symbolic weight. Think back to ancient myths: figures like the boatman Charon, who ferries souls across the river Styx to the underworld, an archetype of transition and transformation. Or consider the biblical account of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land, representing a new beginning and spiritual liberation. Glauber’s figures echo these timeless themes. The landscape isn’t merely a backdrop but a stage for human drama, charged with emotional resonance. The viewer is invited to contemplate their own journey, the challenges they face, and the possibilities that lie ahead. This image shows how symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different contexts.