Dorpsstraat 1809 - 1835

François Joseph Pfeiffer created this image of a village street, made with etching. The old tree takes center stage, its branches reaching out in a way that reminds me of the Tree of Life, a symbol found in so many cultures. The tree, deeply rooted, appears to be bearing witness to generations, acting as a silent guardian of the community’s collective memories. It reminds me of how ancient civilizations revered trees, linking them to the divine, as if the roots connected to the underworld and branches to the heavens. We see echoes of this in art across time and geography, from Norse mythology’s Yggdrasil to the sacred groves of ancient Greece. Trees symbolize the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, tapping into our subconscious understanding of natural rhythms. Notice how the tree in Pfeiffer’s image creates a sense of calm and continuity, engaging us on a profound level. These symbols resonate because they tap into something ancient within us. It reminds us that symbols are not static but are fluid, evolving, resurfacing across time, and constantly weaving a web of meaning.