Generaal Joubert en zijn manschappen bij een kar op het slagveld in Zuid-Afrika 1899 - 1900

This photograph captures General Joubert and his men during the South African War. Here, the soldiers gathered around their wagon present a tableau rich with symbolism. Note the wheel of the wagon, a recurring motif across cultures. From the Wheel of Fortune to the Buddhist Dharma wheel, it signifies fate, change, and destiny's cyclical nature. This wheel in the photo, however, is not just a symbol of grand narratives. It represents the practicalities of war, a tool of transportation and sustenance. Yet, the enduring power of the wheel lies in its duality. It simultaneously evokes notions of progress and the relentless turning of time, akin to the psychological undertones of collective memory. Consider how images of wheels have evolved. From ancient sun-worshipping cults that saw the wheel as a symbol of their deity, to its modern usage as corporate logos, this archetypal form continues to resonate with our deepest subconscious, linking past and present. The photo of Joubert’s troops evokes a sense of temporal depth, connecting their historical moment with the broader sweep of human experience, ever-turning like the wheel itself.