Oude Molen te Wijchen Possibly 1866 - 1929

Willem Cornelis Rip sketched this old mill at Wijchen. See how the windmill, an age-old motif, commands the scene? It is more than a mere structure; it's a symbol. Consider the cross-like form of its sails. It evokes the celestial, a bridge between earth and sky. Windmills harness nature’s force, reflecting humanity’s quest to dominate the natural world. The cross reappears across epochs and cultures, from ancient solar symbols to Christian iconography. Over time, its meaning transmutes, yet its core remains a junction, a nexus of opposing energies. The mill's stoic presence on the horizon evokes feelings of nostalgia and the relentless march of time. It whispers of simpler days, an agrarian past now fading, yet its image persists, etched in our collective memory. This sketch stirs something primal, connecting us to the endless cycle of change and continuity.