Aangemeerde schepen c. 1886s

George Hendrik Breitner sketched "Aangemeerde schepen" with a soft graphite pencil, capturing the silhouette of docked ships in the harbor. These looming forms evoke a sense of both protection and confinement. The ships, with their vertical masts and dense hulls, are reminiscent of ancient obelisks, symbols of power and stability. Their forms can be seen echoed throughout time, from the monumental pillars of ancient Egypt, to the towering skyscrapers of modernity. The grid-like structures behind the ships evoke a sense of urban life and modernity. The image is not static, rather filled with a sense of impending movement, a constant, cyclical return to port. The ships embody the longing for safe harbor, a harbor from which one can depart again. This cyclical dance between departure and return resonates deeply within the collective human psyche.