Brønd i skoven 1889

Sophie Holten etched this image of a forest well, titled "Brønd i skoven", sometime before 1930. The well, the Brønd, around which the forest breathes, is a powerful symbol. Since antiquity, wells have signified life, sustenance, and often, the mystical connection to the earth's depths. We find wells in countless mythologies. Think of the Well of Urd in Norse myth, a source of wisdom, or the numerous healing wells venerated across cultures. This image, however, is not overtly religious; it's a secular sylvan scene. Yet, the presence of water—essential, life-giving—taps into our collective unconscious. The well, in this quiet forest, evokes a sense of introspection. Water is a reflective surface, isn’t it? As you gaze at it, remember how symbols persist, transforming yet remaining rooted in primal human experiences, echoing through art history.