Gezicht op een pad door een bos c. 1888 - 1893

This is Impi Backman’s photograph of a path through a forest. The forest, a recurrent motif through time, serves as a potent symbol, reflecting humanity's relationship with nature. The path, though, that is the element that has most fascinated me. Like Ariadne's thread, the path carries us through the labyrinth of the unknown. Think of Theseus in the Minotaur’s labyrinth, guided by a thread to find his way. From the ancient Silk Road to the mystical pathways in illuminated manuscripts, paths have been physical routes and metaphors for life's journey. Here, the path's uncertain trajectory stirs something deep within us, a subconscious echo of countless myths and personal experiences, a primal call to adventure. This photograph captures a moment that resonates across cultures and eras, reminding us that our journeys are often as much about the inner landscape as they are about the external world.