Boom met reigers 1936 - 1937

Bernard Essers made this woodcut, called "Tree with Herons," sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. Immediately, one notices the herons themselves, symbols of vigilance and longevity, perched in a blossoming tree. The motif of birds in trees carries an ancient echo. Think back to the Epic of Gilgamesh, where birds signify the soul's flight, or consider the numerous religious texts where birds are messengers between the earthly and divine realms. Here, the birds are herons, yet their essence remains tied to this primal symbolism. The blossoming tree, too, is laden with meaning: regeneration, the eternal return. Seen throughout illuminated manuscripts and Renaissance paintings, the flowering branch speaks to life’s cyclical nature. What emotional chord does it strike within us when we consider the juxtaposition of the herons and the blossoming branches? It stirs a profound, almost subconscious recognition of life’s delicate balance. Thus, Essers’ image engages us on a deeply intuitive level by evoking these enduring symbols that resurface time and again.