Gezicht op een steengroeve before 1892

This image of a quarry, created by Michelet, presents us with a landscape deeply marked by human intervention. The quarry itself, with its rough, layered stone, becomes a potent symbol of extraction and transformation. The act of quarrying stone carries profound implications. Stone, in its raw, untouched state, represents the earth's inherent stability and permanence. However, here, it is violently disrupted, transformed from a natural formation into a resource for human endeavor. This resonates with ancient myths and legends of creation and destruction, where the earth is shaped and reshaped, sometimes through immense struggle and sacrifice. One is reminded of the myth of Prometheus, whose theft of fire from the gods symbolizes humanity's enduring quest for knowledge and mastery over nature. The quarry is a stage for that quest, and a powerful reminder of its potential consequences.