Gezicht op een kerkhof before 1867

This print, made by Huib van Hove Bz, depicts a cemetery, a space laden with symbolism across cultures and eras. Here, the organized rows of graves suggest not only mortality, but also society’s attempt to order and contain death. Graveyards have long served as both a physical and symbolic boundary between the living and the dead. Think of the Egyptian pyramids, colossal structures intended to safeguard the Pharaohs' passage to the afterlife. Or consider the catacombs beneath Rome, where early Christians gathered, intertwining their faith with the memory of the deceased. The cemetery is a stage where the drama of life and death plays out, prompting reflection on the transient nature of our existence. These places evoke profound emotional and psychological responses, engaging us in a dialogue with our own mortality. Indeed, the image invites us to consider the cyclical nature of existence, reminding us that even in death, there is a continuation, a transformation, and a return.