Bospad langs een plas c. 1811

Andreas Schelfhout captured this evocative scene, “Bospad langs een plas,” in a drawing. Note the path’s gentle curve, beckoning us into the leafy depths. This is not merely a road, but a symbol resonating through time. Consider the ancient Roman roads, straight and purposeful, symbols of power and conquest. Yet here, the path meanders, inviting contemplation rather than command. It mirrors the path of life itself, with its unexpected turns and hidden vistas. Think of the labyrinth, a primal symbol of our journey through the subconscious, each turn a confrontation with our inner selves. Water flows here as well. Recall its role as the source of life and rebirth in countless cultures, a subconscious recognition of our origins, of the maternal waters that once cradled us all. Schelfhout evokes not just a landscape but a landscape of the soul, where every element echoes our deepest collective memories. A landscape of eternal return.