Gezicht op het Meer van Luzern in een storm 1889 - 1902

Carel Nicolaas Storm van 's-Gravesande created this etching called 'View of Lake Lucerne in a Storm.' Here, we see the sublime power of nature represented in the turbulent skies and brooding mountain. For centuries, the storm has symbolized chaos, divine wrath, and emotional upheaval. Think of the Deluge in early Christian art, where storms washed away the old world. In earlier times, artists like the Renaissance masters often depicted nature as orderly and harmonious, but in later periods, the storm became a vehicle to convey intense emotional states, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. Turner’s seascapes explored a similar theme, depicting the overwhelming force of nature. The visual symbol of the storm is not static; it evolves. It resurfaces, transformed, each time reflecting the anxieties and sensibilities of a new era. It is through this non-linear, cyclical progression that symbols reveal their enduring power.