Boom 1834 - 1906

This pencil drawing of a tree was made by Maria Vos and is currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The tree, a symbol of life and growth, stretches back to ancient mythologies. From the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden to the Norse Yggdrasil, it connects heaven and earth. Consider the motif of the World Tree that appears in ancient cultures from Siberia to Scandinavia. It is a cosmic axis, a living link between the realms of the divine, the mortal, and the subterranean. The tree motif appears in art history from landscapes by Friedrich to van Gogh’s olive trees. Even Mondrian's trees, as he abstracted them, carry traces of this ancient symbolism. This symbol, deeply rooted in our collective unconscious, reminds us of the cyclical nature of life and the enduring power of nature, constantly evolving, transforming, and regenerating itself.