Copenhagen; Roofs Under the Snow c. 19th century

Peder Severin Krøyer captured Copenhagen's "Roofs Under the Snow" with delicate brushstrokes, evoking a sense of quiet isolation. The snow, a dominant symbol, blankets the cityscape, blurring the edges of buildings and softening the harshness of urban life. Consider how snow, or the absence of color, resonates with the concept of Tabula Rasa, the blank slate. This notion, dating back to Aristotle, suggests the human mind is born without innate ideas, a concept embraced by Enlightenment thinkers. The visual motif of snow can be found in the works of Caspar David Friedrich, where snow-covered landscapes evoke feelings of solitude and introspection, akin to the Romantic era's fascination with the sublime. Snow, in this context, becomes a symbolic mirror, reflecting the viewer's inner state. The snow's evocative power touches our subconscious, a reminder of winter's stark beauty but also of its potential for emotional and psychological hibernation. It's a symbol we recycle and re-interpret, a motif passed down through history, forever evolving in meaning.