Riverscape with a Waterfall 1768

Aignan-Thomas Desfriches rendered this Riverscape with a Waterfall in delicate graphite. Note the stark contrast between the orderly trees on the left and the wild, windswept tree dominating the right. Trees, as symbols, have ancient roots. They are life-givers and protectors, their forms mirroring the human body, branches reaching to the heavens, roots anchored in the earth. The contrast embodied in this artwork is a motif we see echoed across cultures and centuries. Consider the tree in ancient Greek myths, like Daphne, who transformed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's pursuit. This evokes a sense of transformation, refuge, and the intertwining of human fate with the natural world. In this drawing, the wild tree on the right evokes a sense of the sublime, of nature’s untamed power. This image engages us on a deep, subconscious level, evoking primal fears and a fascination with the power of nature. Symbols like trees form a cyclical progression of transformation and renewal, constantly adapting to the collective consciousness that perceives them.