Spoorbrug over het Hollands Diep bij Moerdijk c. 1872 - 1875

Here we see Petrus Johannes Schotel's study of the Spoorbrug over het Hollands Diep bij Moerdijk. The bridge emerges, a marvel of engineering, yet it’s the foundational pillars that truly speak to me. These pillars, standing firm against the Hollands Diep, echo the ancient columns of temples, bearing not only physical weight but also the weight of human ambition. Think of the ziggurats of Mesopotamia, or even the Tower of Babel, each striving to bridge the earthly and the divine. The bridge is a symbol of connection and progress. It reminds me of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, a symbol of commerce and community, bustling with life. These structures, like Schotel’s bridge, aren't just about crossing physical space, they're about overcoming psychic distances, fostering exchange, and shaping civilization. It represents a desire to span the unspannable, manifesting our deepest longings for unity and understanding. As the pillars hold fast, so does humanity’s spirit of innovation and connection, ever evolving, ever reaching.