River Landscape in Moonlight 1643 - 1646

Aert van der Neer painted this River Landscape in Moonlight with oil on canvas, capturing a serene yet evocative night scene. The moon, a potent symbol, casts its ethereal glow across the water, a light that has guided humanity for millennia. Consider the moon's continuous presence in art, from ancient lunar goddesses to its role in Romantic landscapes. The symbolism of the moon has morphed through time; once a divine figure, it has come to represent melancholy, introspection, or the sublime power of nature. We see echoes of this in Caspar David Friedrich's works, where the moon evokes a deep, emotional response, tapping into our collective unconscious. The moon's cyclical nature reminds us of the constant return of images, the enduring power of symbols that resurface, transformed, across cultures and ages.