Groep onbekende mannen met sledes op het ijs en Gezicht op onbekende mannen op een boot before 1897

This print shows two images: one depicting a group of men with sleds on ice and another of men on a boat, both created by Imprimerie des Lazaristes. The first image evokes a sense of stark isolation, with figures traversing a barren, icy landscape. Consider the sled, a utilitarian object transformed into a symbol of transit. We see similar vehicles, these tools for movement, appearing across epochs – from the chariots of ancient Rome, symbols of triumph and power, to the humble carts of medieval peasants. This motif of 'transport' is deeply rooted in our collective consciousness, reflecting our perpetual quest for progress. Observe the stoicism etched on the faces of the men on the boat, a mirroring of that same resolve of those men pulling the sleds. This shared expression is a powerful visual mnemonic, an engagement on a subconscious level, evoking a deep-seated sense of human resilience. The scenes capture something fundamental about the human experience: our capacity to endure, to adapt, and to press onward, regardless of the obstacles in our path.