Quayside with Ships in Antwerp 1885

Vincent van Gogh painted this view of the Antwerp quayside with oil on cardboard. Here, the ship takes centre stage. Since ancient times, the ship has served as a potent symbol, traversing the waters of both the physical world and the subconscious. We see ships depicted in ancient Egyptian funerary boats, vessels ferrying souls to the afterlife. This motif, though transformed, reappears in the Viking ship burials, and even Charon’s boat in Greek mythology. Consider the ship's mast—an upright, phallic symbol, reaching towards the heavens, embodying masculine strength and the drive for exploration. Yet, simultaneously, the hull cradles and nurtures, echoing the feminine, the vessel of life. This duality speaks to the complex human psyche and the enduring quest for meaning. The emotional weight of the image evokes a sense of both adventure and melancholy. It's a scene ripe with symbolic resonance, tapping into our collective memories of journeys, both literal and metaphorical.