Kaardster 1874 - 1925

Jan Veth rendered this drawing of a card reader with charcoal and red chalk. The central motif is the open book, a vessel of knowledge and destiny. Throughout history, the act of pointing, such as the card reader's gesture here, has signified direction, instruction, and revelation. Think of John the Baptist pointing towards the heavens in Renaissance paintings, or a classical orator guiding with emphatic hand gestures. Here, the gesture guides us into the unknown, a glimpse of the unseen. The open book, almost like an open mouth, further emphasizes the gesture of divination. But the act of reading and interpreting omens is not new. Consider the ancient Roman practice of augury, where priests would interpret the flight of birds to foresee the future. This image resonates with that primal human desire to lift the veil, to find meaning in the chaos of existence. Such symbols resonate deeply, as the need for meaning transcends time.