Landschap met een stenen brug 1610 - 1638

Chaerles de Hooch etched this landscape with a stone bridge in the 17th century. The bridge, a dominant symbol, arches over a river, connecting two banks, two realms. Consider how bridges appear throughout art history, from Roman aqueducts to medieval crossings, always suggesting connection, transition, and passage. The bridge here acts as more than just a practical structure; it is a symbol of transition, a passage from one state of being to another. The rounded stone in the middle of the bridge, perhaps a keystone, resonates with ancient solar symbols—a protective eye watching over travelers. This protective motif has resurfaced in many forms, from ancient Egyptian amulets to the all-seeing eye in Renaissance art, each time carrying a sense of warding and guidance. The image of figures crossing this stone bridge, framed by trees and distant architecture, evokes a deep, subconscious longing for connection. This image, like all enduring symbols, is not linear but cyclical, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings.