Gezicht op een waterweg, met op de achtergrond een molen before 1899

This is a photograph of a waterway with a mill in the background by Fr. Tollens. The windmill, ever-present in the Dutch landscape, is more than a functional structure; it embodies a dialogue between humanity and nature, symbolizing industry and land reclamation. The windmill, like the ancient wheel of fortune, embodies the relentless turning of time and the cyclical nature of life. In the medieval "Ars Memorandi", wheels are linked to memory. The windmill stands as a mnemonic device, connecting the past and present. Just as the ancient Greeks saw the soul as a chariot pulled by winged horses, the sails of the windmill invoke the spirit's yearning for ascent and enlightenment. This reflects humanity’s eternal striving for knowledge and its connection to ancestral memory.