IJsbergen voor de kust van Nova Zembla c. 1880 - 1887

Louis Apol sketched this graphite drawing of icebergs off the coast of Nova Zembla. Here, icebergs loom, ancient monoliths adrift in a frigid sea. These aren't merely frozen water; they're symbols of nature's sublime power, echoing primal fears and fascinations that resonate through art history. Think of Caspar David Friedrich's icy shipwrecks, emblems of the Romantic era's awe and terror before nature's vastness. The iceberg, a symbol of both purity and latent danger, reappears across cultures. Consider the Inuit myths, where ice holds spirits and memories, or even modern interpretations of climate change, where melting ice caps signify impending disaster. The iceberg embodies a powerful, subconscious link to the raw, untamed forces that shape our world and psyche. This sketch captures not just a landscape, but a potent cultural symbol, forever floating through our collective memory.