Gezicht op het strand van Oostende 1873 - 1890

This stereoscopic photograph captures a view of the beach in Ostend, likely made in the late 19th century. Here we see the beach, a low building crowned with a cupola, and a figure seated on the dune, gazing out at the ocean, a romantic symbol of contemplation and escape. This image evokes a sense of melancholy, with the lone figure mirroring Caspar David Friedrich’s Rückenfigur. The motif of the solitary wanderer appears throughout art history, representing the individual’s search for meaning in the face of nature’s sublime power. This archetype, resonating with the anxieties of modernity, speaks to a collective yearning for connection with the natural world and an exploration of inner emotions. Like the Ouroboros, the image is cyclical, reminding us that artistic and cultural symbols resurface, transform, and take on new meanings across time.