Manhattan Bridge 1918 - 1922

Eugene de Salignac captured this photograph of the Manhattan Bridge using the cyanotype process. The dominant visual symbols here are the vertical cables, stretching high above, anchoring to the great structure. These lines, reminiscent of the strings of Apollo's lyre or even the threads of fate spun by the Fates, evoke a sense of connection between the earthly and the divine. Consider the image of the World Tree, Yggdrasil, its roots deep in the underworld, its branches reaching to the heavens, a symbol of cosmic connection. These cables echo that same reaching, that same binding of different realms. Such forms recur throughout art history, adapting to their time. From the pillars of ancient temples to the soaring arches of Gothic cathedrals, humanity has always been drawn to verticality. The emotional resonance lies in the subconscious desire to transcend, to reach beyond our limitations. This desire is perpetually reborn in new forms, each echoing the past while striving for the future.