Drie mensen op een weg met aan weerskanten bomen 1887

Elias Stark etched this image of three people on a road flanked by trees, a composition that carries more than meets the eye. The road, a symbol of life’s journey, is a motif as ancient as civilization itself, seen in countless forms across cultures. Think of the Roman roads, not merely routes for transport but arteries of empire, or the Silk Road, a conduit for ideas and cultural exchange. Here, the road is quiet, rural, yet it echoes those grander paths. Even the trees lining the road are more than simple foliage. They remind us of the tree of life, a symbol that appears from Norse mythology to the Garden of Eden, representing growth, connection, and the cycles of nature. Stark, perhaps unconsciously, taps into this deep well of collective memory. This seemingly simple etching thus resonates with profound, enduring symbols.