Landschap met gestapelde rotsblokken en rustende man 1832 - 1886

This is Léon Gaucherel’s etching, featuring stacked rock formations with a resting man. The dolmen, a megalithic tomb, dominates the scene, evoking a sense of ancient ritual and connection to the earth. Notice how the horizontal stone rests on vertical supports, echoing similar structures across Europe and beyond. These formations, dating back to prehistoric times, were often communal graves, imbued with spiritual significance. The man atop the dolmen is in quiet repose, perhaps contemplating his place within this continuum of history and nature. The dolmen is a symbol of permanence, but it is also a stage, where the boundary between life and death is blurred. Across cultures, from the pyramids of Egypt to the tombs of China, we see this impulse to monumentalize, to defy mortality. Consider how the collective memory of such structures persists, influencing our perception of time and existence. The dolmen speaks to our primal need for connection, inviting us to reflect on the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.