Gezicht op drie molens aan het water te Rotterdam 1891

Norbert Goeneutte's etching presents us with three windmills on the Rotterdam waterways. The windmill, a symbol of human ingenuity harnessing the elemental force of wind, has long been a powerful motif in Dutch art and culture. These structures are not merely functional; they stand as testaments to the ongoing dance between humanity and nature. Windmills, with their arms outstretched like dancers, can be seen echoing in the whirling dervishes of Sufi tradition, where repetitive motion induces a trance-like state, a connection to the divine. Here, the persistent turning may evoke a similar state, a meditation on the cyclical nature of existence. The presence of water adds a layer of depth, reflecting the sky, a mirror of the heavens. Together, wind and water create a dynamic interplay, stirring deep emotional responses within us, a primal connection to the forces that shape our world. This is more than a depiction of windmills; it is an exploration of the self, mirrored in the endless cycles of nature.