Landschap met reizigers c. 1736

This is a ‘Landscape with travellers,’ an undated etching by Jacques Philippe Le Bas. Note the travelers grouped under a tree, a mother holding a child, and a man reclining, echoing the Rest on the Flight to Egypt. This scene is not merely picturesque; it draws upon a deep well of visual memory. The motif of rest and shelter under a tree appears across centuries and cultures, from depictions of the Holy Family to wandering pastoral figures. This universal scene taps into a collective desire for peace and security. The act of resting, particularly with a child, is laden with emotional and psychological weight. It speaks to our innate need for protection and nurturing, evoking maternal love and vulnerability. These gestures connect us to primal experiences embedded in our subconscious. The symbol of rest, continually revisited, is a potent reminder of our shared human condition, surfacing, evolving, and gaining new relevance across different eras.