Figuur op een pier, mogelijk in Scheveningen c. 1920

Johan Antonie de Jonge sketched this scene, possibly in Scheveningen, using graphite and watercolor. Here, the solitary figure on the pier serves as a poignant symbol. Notice how the pier itself, a structure reaching out into the vast expanse of the sea, evokes the human desire to connect with the unknown, to bridge the gap between the familiar and the infinite. This motif echoes in Caspar David Friedrich’s landscapes, where lone figures often stand on shores, contemplating the sublime. The sea, a recurring emblem of both opportunity and danger, reflects the innermost anxieties and yearnings of the human soul. Through the ages, the image of a person confronting the sea has evolved, yet it retains its core essence, a testament to our enduring fascination with the mysteries of existence.