De andre Ænder... 1928

Fritz Syberg sketched this evocative scene with ink on paper. The stark lines depicting trees and water conjure a dense, almost impenetrable thicket. This imagery taps into a deep, primeval fear—the terror of being lost in the woods, a motif that echoes through countless fairy tales and myths. The image of the forest is an ancient symbol, appearing in folklore across cultures. The forest represents the unknown, the untamed aspects of the human psyche. Consider, for instance, the dark forests in the tales of the Brothers Grimm, places of danger and transformation. Similarly, in classical mythology, forests are often the domain of wild, untamed gods. The way Syberg renders this particular forest evokes a powerful, subconscious response. The dense, overlapping lines suggest not just a physical space but also a psychological state—a feeling of being overwhelmed, lost in the labyrinth of one's own mind. The cyclical nature of symbols is evident here; the forest, an ancient symbol of fear and the unknown, resurfaces in Syberg's modern sketch, reminding us of the enduring power of collective memory.