Strindberg called himself a symbolist painter. He explained how the scenery in some of his images symbolised emotional states, partly by arousing reactions in the viewer. Strindberg’s paintings often give rise to a feeling of anxiety or insignificance. Here a city can be seen in the distance, but to reach it we have to cross the large expanse of dark water. Not only does the painting depict a view but it also involves the viewer’s own feelings.