The Old Double Bridge, Bury St. Edmunds 1833

James Ward created this ink wash drawing of The Old Double Bridge in Bury St. Edmunds. Ward's artistic life unfolded during a period of immense social and political upheaval, including the Napoleonic Wars and the rise of industrialization. In his landscapes, Ward often turned to images of ruins, of the crumbling edges of human endeavors, and the power of nature reclaiming the man-made. This drawing shows the romantic interest in the aesthetics of decay, but also the social and economic shifts of the time. Consider how Ward’s choice to depict a decaying bridge, rather than a symbol of progress, reflects anxieties about the changing social order. Does the bridge serve as a metaphor for the instability of human achievements? Ward's focus on ruins invites us to reflect on the passage of time, the fragility of human constructions, and the enduring power of nature. The drawing acts as a meditation on impermanence and the cyclical nature of history.