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Here, in Karel Appel's painting, we are confronted with a striking array of vibrant colours and simplified forms, echoing primal symbols that have resonated through millennia. The bird motif, boldly rendered in primary hues, immediately captures our attention. Throughout history, the bird has served as a potent symbol—a messenger between worlds, a representation of the soul's flight. From ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting the Ba bird carrying the soul, to the soaring eagles of Roman imperial power, the bird embodies transcendence and freedom. The vibrant colour palette that Appel adopts for these birds, recalls the Fauvist movement's use of intense colours to convey raw emotion, suggesting a profound emotional or psychological state. The bright colours can be seen as a release of primal energy, and a liberation from conventional representation. These stylized, abstracted forms prompt a dialogue with our collective unconscious. They remind us that art is not merely a mirror reflecting reality but a lens refracting our deepest, most enduring cultural memories.