Gezicht op bebouwing aan de Diergaardesingel in Rotterdam 1881

Jean Théodore Joseph Linnig rendered this view of buildings along the Diergaardesingel in Rotterdam using etching. Note the windmill in the distance, a symbol deeply rooted in the Dutch landscape, it signified not just an industrial tool but also the very essence of Dutch identity and ingenuity in land reclamation and control over nature. This motif evolved from earlier, simpler machines and was spread throughout Europe, becoming a prominent symbol in the Netherlands from the late Middle Ages onward. The windmill here stands as a testament to human ambition and an enduring emblem of cultural pride. It resurfaces through the ages, each time embodying a blend of past and present, its cultural significance perpetually renewed in the collective memory.