Gezicht op de Seine en een eiland bij Les Andelys 1897

This photograph captures a view of the Seine with an island near Les Andelys. Here, water, the quintessential symbol of life and purification, dominates the landscape. Consider the island, a self-contained world amidst the flowing river. Islands have long been powerful symbols in art and mythology. Think of the Isle of the Dead painted by Arnold Böcklin, a mysterious place of reflection and transition. Like Les Andelys, Böcklin’s island, too, speaks to our subconscious longing for peace, for a refuge from the ceaseless currents of life. The emotional power of this image lies in its stillness. The island and the river evoke a profound sense of introspection and the cyclical nature of life. It reflects how symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings through time.