Gezicht op de Saône te Lyon before 1841

Friedrich Salathé's rendering of the Saône in Lyon captures a moment of burgeoning modernity. But let's look at how the artist is channeling very ancient ideas. The arches of the bridge are not merely structural; they symbolize connection, continuity. Think of the Roman aqueducts, mighty testaments to engineering prowess, which themselves echo the vaulted heavens. These arches, repeated across time, speak to humanity's enduring quest to span divides, both physical and metaphysical. Consider how these spans have appeared throughout history, from triumphal arches celebrating imperial power to bridges in Renaissance paintings symbolizing the passage from earthly life to the divine. What we see today can be traced back. Here in Lyon, this bridge evokes a complex interplay of progress, memory, and the persistent human desire to find order in the chaos of existence. The bridge offers passage and promise to the subconscious.