Heer in een park 1882

Hendrik J. Van der Borcht created this etching of a gentleman in a park. A walking stick rests in his right hand. The walking stick—an object seen across time in different places—here conveys a sense of authority and refined leisure. We can trace this symbol back to the scepters of ancient rulers, emblems of power and command, and even further back, to the shepherd's crook. Observe how this symbol, transformed through history, appears in religious art as a bishop's staff. The gesture of holding a stick, seemingly simple, becomes laden with layers of cultural memory. The park setting with a statue is reminiscent of Arcadia, a classical vision of pastoral harmony. It reflects a longing for a simpler, more idealized existence, a dream that continues to resonate in our collective subconscious. This is the symbolic power of images: engaging us on a deeper, emotional level. The motifs, charged with emotion, are not linear but cyclical.