Gezicht op een brug aan de promenade des artistes in Spa 1866 - 1870

This stereo photograph by Jules Hippolyte Quéval captures a bridge along the promenade des artistes in Spa. Dominating the scene, the rustic wooden bridge is more than a mere crossing. The bridge is an ancient symbol of transition, and it marks the passage from one state of being to another. One can trace the motif through the Pont d’Avignon of medieval song to the Bifröst bridge of Norse myth, a rainbow path connecting the earthly and divine realms. Quéval's bridge also evokes this sense of connection, albeit in a more earthly way. It asks us to consider how we move through life, the paths we choose, and the thresholds we cross. There is a quiet stillness in the photograph, yet the flowing stream hints at the passage of time. The bridge, then, becomes a symbol not just of physical crossing, but of temporal transition as well. In the collective subconscious, water is a symbol that can cleanse us of our sins or sweep us away into the unconscious. As we stand before this image, we are invited to reflect on our journeys, both literal and metaphorical, and the bridges we must cross to reach our destinations.