Gezicht op boten bij de Appelmarkt te Amsterdam c. 1894

Here we see George Hendrik Breitner's sketch of boats at the Appelmarkt in Amsterdam. Notice the stark vertical lines representing masts and structures, juxtaposed against the angled strokes that suggest the movement of water and figures. The motif of the ship is an ancient one, appearing in various cultural contexts. In ancient Egypt, the ship carried souls to the afterlife, and the Christian tradition uses the ship to symbolize the Church, navigating the turbulent seas of life. In Breitner's sketch, the ship motif evokes a sense of journey, transition, and the ever-changing human condition. The sparseness of the lines invites viewers to project their own emotions and experiences onto the scene. The raw, unrefined strokes capture the psychological undercurrents of modern urban life, revealing the dynamic tension between progress and the timeless human quest for meaning. The symbol is not static but is reborn in each new context.