Watermolen before 1893

This drawing of a watermill by Willem Wenckebach features a wheel as its central motif, an ancient symbol of time and constant change, recurring throughout human history. We find wheels adorning ancient sun chariots, representing the cyclical nature of life and death, and the eternal return. Consider also the Buddhist Dharma wheel, a symbol of spiritual law and the path to enlightenment, constantly turning to grind away ignorance and illusion. Here, Wenckebach places the watermill wheel within a Dutch landscape, connecting industry with the organic flow of nature. This may signify harmony, but also the relentless, churning force of progress. In our collective memory, the wheel evokes not only advancement, but also the potential for destruction, much like the cycles of nature itself. This image compels us to contemplate the deep, subconscious relationship between mankind and the forces we harness. A continuous return and spiral.