Eine Mühle mit drei Gängen, auf der Brücke ein Mann auf einem Esel 

Polyxene Basse created this watercolor painting of a mill with three water wheels and a man on a donkey crossing a bridge. Basse’s choice of watercolor is significant. It’s a medium known for its delicate, translucent qualities, which she uses to capture the interplay of light and shadow on the mill's rustic architecture and the flowing water. The painting’s texture and weight are dictated by the thin washes of color and the paper support. She would have used fine brushes to create the details of the buildings and the landscape. But let's also consider the mill itself. It is a site of production, where grain is ground into flour. Watermills like this one were vital to local economies, harnessing natural resources for human use. The man on the donkey could be bringing grain to be ground or transporting flour to market, connecting rural life with wider networks of commerce and consumption. Ultimately, this painting reminds us that even seemingly idyllic scenes can be infused with the realities of labor and the rhythms of daily life.