Boslandschap met een vijver met daarop een man in een kleine boot, daarboven een reiger die opvliegt 1847 - 1909

Edgar Alfred Baes created this landscape with a pond and a man in a small boat using etching. Note the image of the heron taking flight. Across cultures, the heron has been a multifaceted symbol. In ancient Egypt, it was associated with the benu bird, representing renewal and the rising sun. Yet, in European traditions, the heron often embodies patience and solitude, qualities linked to its hunting habits in quiet waters. Think of the alchemical symbol of the heron, representing sublimation, a transformation from base matter to the refined. In our collective psyche, birds in flight often signify a transition, a departure from the earthly, or even a spiritual ascent. Here, the heron's flight introduces an element of dynamism. The viewer is subconsciously invited to reflect on themes of change, potential, and the delicate balance between the earthly and the ethereal. The heron becomes more than a bird; it is a symbol of psychological and spiritual movement.