Twee karren op een boerenerf buiten Zwolle c. 1631 - 1633

This is a pen drawing by Gerard ter Borch, depicting two carts in a farmyard outside Zwolle. The motif of the cart, seemingly simple, carries a heavy load of cultural significance through time. Consider the wheel—a universal symbol across cultures, from ancient sun wheels representing cosmic order, to the Wheel of Fortune, embodying life's unpredictable nature. Here, the cartwheels suggest not just agrarian life, but also broader themes of movement, labor, and cyclical existence. The trees and hay bale, rendered with delicate strokes, serve as a backdrop, enhancing the humble, rustic setting. The hay bale, a rounded cone of golden storage, is like a storehouse of the collective memory, embodying the cyclical rhythm of harvest and renewal. It is a potent symbol of our primal connection to the land. In this drawing, Ter Borch taps into a deep, subconscious appreciation for the rhythms of nature.