Plungės, water mill 1933

This ink drawing presents Mstislav Dobuzhinsky's rendering of the Plungė water mill, capturing the essence of rural Lithuania through its architectural form. The mill, with its sturdy stone base and timber structure, serves as a symbol of human ingenuity harnessed to the natural forces of water and earth. Notice the recurring motif of the arch, framing not only the mill's water inlet, but also echoed in the windows above. From ancient aqueducts to Gothic cathedrals, the arch signifies both structural support and spiritual aspiration, a gateway between different realms. Recall its echoes in triumphal arches, celebrating victory, or in the arched backs of figures in agony or ecstasy throughout art history. Here, the arch suggests an eternal cycle of labor and renewal. A constant reminder that human endeavors are intertwined with the elemental powers of nature, an almost primordial relationship between man and his environment.