La Marne et les bateaux lavoirs à Lagny 1885

Léo Gausson captured "La Marne et les bateaux lavoirs à Lagny" with paint and canvas, rendering a townscape where water, architecture, and foliage intertwine, inviting us to contemplate the symbology behind each element. The image is dominated by water. Here the river is not just a geographical feature, it’s the ancient symbol of life and purification, echoing across cultures from the rivers of paradise to baptismal rites. In this painting, the river flows, suggesting the passage of time and the eternal return, similar to Heraclitus's river, always changing yet ever the same. See how the bridge spans the river, connecting two banks? Since ancient times, bridges have appeared in various myths, religions and folklore as the link between the earthly and the divine, symbolizing transition, hope, and the journey of life, much like the Bifrost in Norse mythology or the bridges in Japanese Buddhist art. This symbol represents the intersection between culture and nature, between humanity and its environment.