Corlaer Estate and Garden c. 1936

Meyer Goldbaum’s watercolor Corlaer Estate and Garden, presents a bird’s eye view of manicured nature beside the sea. The garden's geometric plots echo a deep human desire to impose order on the wild. Consider, for example, the circular motifs in the center of the garden. These forms, resembling the sun, are primal symbols across cultures, from ancient Egyptian solar deities to the sunburst patterns adorning Renaissance cathedrals. Here, these sun-like circles, meticulously placed within the garden’s structure, act as symbols of control and harmony, a psychological attempt to tame nature’s chaotic forces. We see a fascinating dance between the natural and the imposed. It’s a visual echo of our subconscious struggle to find balance and meaning in a world that often feels inherently disordered.