Figuren 1906 - 1945

Reijer Stolk sketched "Figuren" with a pencil, giving us a glimpse into the artist's process. Notice the dominant lines and shapes. The figures seem to be entangled, almost trapped, within a stark, geometrical framework. This motif resonates across art history, evoking the Laocoön, caught in the coils of serpents, symbolizing struggle and inescapable fate. This "prigione" of lines, reminiscent of a cage, echoes in Renaissance art, where architectural elements often confined figures, highlighting their emotional intensity. Here, the artist captures a psychological struggle, the human spirit wrestling against invisible constraints. This draws upon the viewer's primal understanding of confinement, engaging us on a visceral level. The recurring motif of entrapment through time reflects a collective consciousness grappling with freedom and limitation. The symbol persists, adapting, resurfacing, as it embodies a fundamental aspect of the human condition.