Ontwerp voor raam in het Noordertransept in de Dom te Utrecht c. 1934

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst conceived this design for a window in Utrecht's Dom church using chalk and graphite. Notice the striking image of what seems to be a river of blood running through the composition, dividing the upper and lower sections of the window. This crimson stream is not merely decorative; it evokes the profound symbolism of sacrifice and redemption, reminiscent of the blood that flows through the stories of Abraham, Moses, and Christ. Throughout history, blood has appeared as a life-giving force and as a symbol of war and death. Consider how the image of the river appears in ancient Mesopotamian art, where it symbolizes the source of life and fertility, nourishing the land and its people. In Holst’s design, we see its echo. The power of blood to bind, to consecrate, and to transform, engages us at a visceral level. The motifs of sacrifice, redemption, and renewal resurface, weaving through the fabric of our collective consciousness.