Vertrek naar Keulen 1841

This work by Charles Onghena depicts a departure by boat to Cologne. Ships, heavy with passengers, evoke journeys both physical and spiritual. The image, framed by an arch, is a motif that reaches back to antiquity and forward through the Renaissance. Arches traditionally represent transitions, a passage from one state to another, a universal symbol connecting us to the rites of passage. Think of triumphal arches or the arches of cathedrals; they all echo a fundamental human experience. Consider also the psychological weight of departure itself—the anticipation, the anxiety, the hope. This collective moment, captured in ink, reverberates with the shared human experience of leaving, a journey outward and inward. This artwork is a powerful reminder of the cyclical nature of history, where archetypes and symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meaning.