Een houten brugconstructie 1718

This print, rendered by Bernard Picart, captures a wooden bridge construction with remarkable detail. At first glance, the structure is a testament to human ingenuity, an attempt to overcome nature's barriers through ordered construction. But consider the bridge itself as a symbol. Bridges have long signified connection, transition, and passage. In ancient myths, bridges often represented the link between the earthly and divine realms, a motif that echoes in various cultures. Think of the Bifrost in Norse mythology, a rainbow bridge connecting Midgard, the world of humans, with Asgard, the realm of the gods. The motif recurs throughout time, evolving in form but retaining its core meaning. The impulse to build bridges is more than practical; it stems from a deep-seated desire to connect, to traverse the unknown. This bridge then, is a symbol not only of physical connection, but of our collective striving to overcome, to explore, and to link ourselves to what lies beyond.