Studieblad met ruiters en karren 1880 - 1882

George Hendrik Breitner rendered this sketch of riders and carts with graphite on paper. Note the presence of the wheel, a symbol as old as civilization itself. From the ancient sun wheels, representing cosmic order and cycles of life, to the Roman Fortuna's wheel, embodying capricious fate, this circular emblem resonates deeply within our collective psyche. The wheel appears across cultures: Buddhist Dharma wheels representing enlightenment, or the Celtic wheel crosses symbolizing the sun's power. Even in modern times, the wheel persists in our art and language, perhaps because its unbroken form evokes the eternal dance of change and motion, engaging viewers with its inherent dynamism and rhythmic quality. This non-linear, cyclical motif reminds us of how symbols resurface, evolve, and are imbued with new meanings across different historical contexts.