De trap des levens 1922

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this beautiful drawing, ‘De trap des levens’ which translates to “The staircase of life,” using black chalk, colored chalk, and graphite. Looking at this work, I imagine Holst carefully layering the chalk, building up these figures in a geometric space. It makes me think about stained glass, how it captures the light and tells a story through these segmented forms. I wonder if Holst was thinking about that too. The lines are bold and dark, but the colors are muted, like they've been filtered through time. There’s a figure above, reaching down, and another below, looking up. The gesture feels so tender, so full of hope. I wonder if Holst was exploring the relationship between guidance and aspiration, between what we're given and what we seek. Holst reminds me of other artists like Klimt, who explored similar themes of life, death, and transcendence. It’s like they're all part of this big conversation, each adding their own piece to the puzzle. Painting is all about that ongoing dialogue, isn't it? It's about taking what's been given and transforming it into something new, something that speaks to our own experience.