Landschap met rivier 1700 - 1730

This landscape with river was etched by Monogrammist MEG. Notice how nature is portrayed, not as a mere backdrop, but as an active character. The trees, for instance, are not just trees. They echo the motif of the "wandering soul," a concept that stretches back to ancient Greece with Homer's Odyssey, and which we see later in Romantic poetry. Here, the slightly bent tree trunks suggest resilience and adaptation, mirroring human journeys and perseverance. Consider how this resonates with the age-old image of the "wanderer," journeying through life, a figure we find in folklore and art across cultures. The river, acting as a pathway and symbol of the subconscious, invites us into a world of reflection and possibility. Through this work, we are reminded of the cyclical, ever-evolving nature of symbols that connect us to the past, present, and future.