Houten poortje met regenton before 1855

This etching by Jan Gerard Smits captures a humble wooden gate beside a rain barrel. The gate, a threshold, has long been a potent symbol across cultures. It represents transition, passage, and the boundary between known and unknown. Consider the gates of Ishtar in ancient Babylon, adorned with fearsome beasts to guard against chaos. Or the gates of Paradise, depicted in countless Christian artworks, promising eternal life. Smits’ gate is far more modest, yet the symbol is no less powerful. It evokes a sense of anticipation. What lies beyond? What possibilities await? Here, the artist is less concerned with grand narratives and more with the subtle emotions of everyday life. The gate is a reminder that even in the most mundane settings, we are constantly crossing thresholds, both literal and metaphorical. The rustic setting may trigger a sense of longing for a simpler, more pastoral existence, tapping into our collective memories of nature and the human condition.