Weg met een huis tussen de bomen 1834 - 1911

Jozef Israëls made this pencil drawing, "Weg met een huis tussen de bomen," which translates to "Road with a house between the trees," now at the Rijksmuseum. The house, nestled amid the trees, speaks to a timeless human desire for shelter and connection with nature. Consider the 'tempietto,' the small temple, motifs found in Renaissance art. They, too, often appeared nestled within idealized landscapes, embodying harmony and spiritual refuge. But here, the symbolism takes on a more introspective, psychological dimension. Trees have long been archetypes of life, growth, and the unconscious. The way they envelop the house might represent the overpowering, yet nurturing, embrace of nature, or the subconscious mind. This interplay evokes a powerful, almost primordial sense of belonging. It calls to mind deeply embedded memories of the landscape, offering a sense of both comfort and a reminder of our transient existence.