Landschap met een rietkraag in een meer 1895

This is Auguste Danse's etching of a landscape with reeds in a lake. It resides in the Rijksmuseum. The reeds take center stage, evoking a sense of primal nature. Across cultures, reeds symbolize flexibility and resilience, bending in the wind but never breaking. Think of ancient Egypt, where reeds were not only practical materials but also symbols of Lower Egypt, embodying the fertile life-giving power of the Nile. But there is something more. Reeds also whisper tales of hidden secrets. In mythology, they often mark boundaries, the edges of known worlds, and gateways to the unknown. They remind us of the psychological landscapes within ourselves, the subconscious realms where emotions and primal instincts lie. From their use in ancient crafts to their presence in symbolic landscapes, reeds resurface, evolving in meaning yet retaining their essence as emblems of nature's enduring strength.