Rivierlandschap met een man bij een hek op een landweg 1876 - 1877

Willem Cornelis Rip sketched this river landscape with graphite on paper, capturing a lone figure by a gate. The gate, a potent symbol, marks a threshold, a point of transition between spaces and states of being. We see the gate motif recurring throughout art history, evoking notions of passage and mystery. Think of medieval depictions of the Garden of Eden’s gate, or the gates to Dante's Inferno. Here, the figure pauses, creating a moment pregnant with potential. The open gate in Rip’s sketch reminds us of the cyclical nature of life, and how symbols like the gate evolve and resurface, constantly taking on new meanings. The symbol carries with it collective memories and deep psychological resonance.