Gezicht op de Geroldsauer Wasserfalle te Baden-Baden 1890s

This silver gelatin print of the Geroldsauer Waterfall in Baden-Baden was captured by Gustav Salzer. Water is the predominant visual element. It has long carried profound symbolic weight. In ancient mythologies, we find water representing the source of life, purification, and renewal. Think of the Egyptian god Osiris, resurrected through the flooding of the Nile, or baptism rituals promising spiritual rebirth. Here, the cascading water may evoke a similar sense of cleansing and rejuvenation, reflecting our deep-seated longing for emotional and spiritual renewal. Consider how the image of a waterfall has echoed through time. From Renaissance paintings to contemporary photography, it consistently reappears as a motif representing nature's untamed power and the eternal flow of time. This representation touches on the psychoanalytic idea of the collective unconscious, where universal symbols reside, shaping our perception and emotional responses.