De Brink te Assen 1878 - 1890

Johannes Gerardus Kramer captured this evocative scene of De Brink in Assen with a camera. The dominant visual motif is the row of bare trees lining the open space. In many cultures, trees represent life, growth, and connection between earth and sky. Think back to ancient Greece, where sacred groves were places of worship and contemplation. Similarly, in Germanic traditions, the World Tree, Yggdrasil, connected different realms of existence. Here, the trees, devoid of leaves, might also suggest a period of dormancy or reflection, a pause before renewal. Such images of barren trees echo in various artistic expressions across time. Think of Caspar David Friedrich's stark landscapes, imbued with romantic longing and contemplation of nature's power. Or even the stark branches in some of Edvard Munch's works. These images engage with our collective memory, touching on themes of mortality and the cyclical nature of life. In De Brink te Assen, the trees are a poignant symbol, resonating deeply with our shared human experiences.