Nieuwjaarsprent van de Amsterdamse schuitmannen voor het jaar 1786 1785 - 1786

This is an anonymous New Year's print for the Amsterdam ferrymen, made in 1786, using etching and letterpress. Note the gestures: The outstretched hand and open door. Throughout history, the open hand has signified welcome, a gesture that transcends mere greeting. It echoes in Roman art as a sign of clemency and reappears in religious paintings as a symbol of divine blessing. The open door too, is not just an architectural feature; it's a threshold, a symbol of transition. In ancient mystery cults, the opening of doors represented spiritual initiation, and the crossing of thresholds signifies a profound psychological shift, echoing humanity’s eternal quest for the unknown. These ferrymen don't just offer a ride; they offer passage, a symbolic crossing into the new year. This print engages us on a deep, subconscious level, reminding us of the continuous, cyclical nature of time and change.