A Day in October, near Waxholm, Sweden 1873

Alfred Wahlberg painted this scene near Waxholm in Sweden using oil on canvas. Dominating the landscape is the windmill, a symbol deeply rooted in human ingenuity and our ongoing dialogue with nature. The windmill appears as a modern interpretation of the Tower of Babel. In ancient times, the tower was a potent symbol of humanity's ambition to reach the divine, transcending earthly bounds through architectural prowess. Likewise, the windmill captures our drive to harness the earth's elements for our gain. We see echoes of this ambition across cultures, from the ziggurats of Mesopotamia to the soaring cathedrals of Europe. The form shifts, but the impulse remains: a desire to physically manifest our aspirations, bridging the gap between the human and the cosmic. Wahlberg's windmill in the Swedish landscape is another marker in this cyclical progression. It reflects our ceaseless endeavor to shape the world according to our will.