Opengespleten boom 1874 - 1875

Willem Cornelis Rip rendered this sketch of a split tree in pencil, revealing a motif laden with symbolic weight. The tree, cleaved yet standing, immediately recalls ancient associations of the tree as the axis mundi, a connection between the earthly and spiritual realms. The split running through its core introduces a potent symbol of duality and conflict but also of resilience. We see echoes of this motif in countless works across time – from depictions of the Tree of Knowledge in Eden, rent by the consequences of choice, to the Romantic ruins that mirror the inner states of melancholy and reflection. The power of this image lies in its ability to tap into our collective memory, echoing through time and space, as a persistent emblem of life's inherent tensions and enduring strength.