Het hout 1894 - 1959

This print, titled 'Het Hout', illustrates the myriad uses of wood across different trades and crafts. The dominant visual symbol here is, of course, wood itself, presented not merely as a raw material but as a transformative substance. It appears in shipbuilding, carpentry, coopering, and even instrument making. These scenes reflect a reverence for craftsmanship. Consider how the image of the carpenter, a figure laboring to shape wood, resonates with the ancient archetype of the creator or demiurge. In various cultures, the act of shaping matter is imbued with spiritual significance. Wood, taken from the living tree, carries with it the memory of growth and vitality. The shaping of wood into functional or beautiful objects can be seen as a continuation of this vital force. The recurring motif of skilled hands working with wood speaks to humanity's enduring relationship with the natural world, a relationship deeply embedded in our collective memory and expressed through the universal language of symbols. This relationship is not linear but cyclical, resurfacing and evolving in diverse cultural contexts.