Heuvellandschap met een stenen brug 1745 - 1808

Gerard van Nijmegen's landscape etching presents us with a bridge, not merely as a structure of stone, but as a powerful symbol. In classical antiquity, bridges signified connections, both literal and metaphorical, between worlds. Think of the Roman pontifex, the bridge-builder, also a high priest, bridging the gap between the divine and mortal realms. Here, the bridge spans not just a river, but perhaps also time itself. Notice the grazing animals - a pastoral motif echoing in landscapes across centuries, from the idyllic scenes of the Renaissance to contemporary art. They represent a longing for a simpler, more harmonious existence, a subconscious yearning for an arcadian past. The bridge as a constant motif has resurfaced, evolving, and taking on new meanings in different historical contexts, yet the primal connection to the past remains.