Bergachtig landschap met een stenen brug en muur 1634 - 1654

This landscape with a stone bridge and wall, was made by Herman Naiwincx in the 17th century. Notice how the stone bridge, a powerful emblem of connection, anchors this serene vista, symbolizing the vital link between disparate realms, and evoking profound emotions within us. Bridges have appeared since antiquity, in the Epic of Gilgamesh for instance. This motif mirrors structures in Roman art, bridges as the physical embodiment of "Pontifex Maximus"—the greatest bridge-builder—a title later adopted by the Pope. Consider the Ponte Milvio in Rome, a silent witness to Constantine's triumph, where the bridge symbolized not just passage, but the dawn of a new era. Bridges such as the Ponte Vecchio in Florence are testaments to human ingenuity, commerce, and the relentless flow of life. The bridge is more than mere utility; it is an emotional conduit, resonating with our deepest longings for unity and continuity across the chasms of time and experience. It's the symbolic crossing over the river Styx.