Bos aan de grens van het duinland 1865 - 1902

This is "Bos aan de grens van het duinland," a landscape made as an etching by Emile de Baré. De Baré, working in the late 19th century, captured a very specific experience. During this period, the natural landscape was not just a backdrop, but a mirror reflecting society's changing relationship with nature, industry, and identity. De Baré's choice to depict a forest at the edge of the dune lands is revealing. It's a meeting place, not quite the tamed forest, nor the wild sea. It suggests a liminal space, a metaphor perhaps for the rapid social changes of the time as well as the changing role of the artist in society. The lack of human presence invites us to consider our own place in the landscape, as viewers, as citizens, as beings intertwined with the natural world. This piece remains incredibly relevant today. As we grapple with ecological concerns, it reminds us of our connection to the earth, and the stories it holds.