Memory of Holland

As I've written before my contribution to 'Mooi is dat!' is my visual interpretation of the beautiful poem 'Memory of Holland' by Hendrik Marsman. It was written in 1936 and describes the beauty but also the threat of the Dutch landscape and nature. The poem was chosen as the most popular one of the 20th century.

Memory of Holland

Thinking of Holland

I see wide-flowing rivers

slowly traversing

infinite plains,

inconceivably

rarefied poplars

like lofty plumes

on the skyline in lanes;

and submerged in the vastness

of unbounded spaces

the farmhouses

strewn over the land,

tree clumps, villages,

truncated towers,

churches and elm trees -

all wondrously planned.

the sky hangs low

and slowly the sun by

mists of all colours

is stifled and greyed

and in all the regions

the voice of the water

with its endless disasters

is feared and obeyed.

When I read the poem I could recognize the wideness and beauty of the Dutch landscape, but I also felt the threat in Marsman's words, growing and growing with every strophe. I have tried to translate that feeling in the imagery and colours of my artwork.

In the last strophe Marsman describes the danger of the water that is everywhere. There it became even more interesting for me. Because Marsman and his wife fled from France by boat at the beginning of the Second Worldwar. But their ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat and Marsman died, swallowed by... the water.

That's why I have drawn a small story in the margin where you can see Marsman's last minutes. Finally the two stories come together 'in water'.

If you're interested in a signed print of this work (size 28,5 x 40,0 cm), prize 20,- euro's (shipping costs not included), please send me an email: erikdegraafcomics@gmail.com