Gezicht op een brug en een kade in Genève before 1880

Auguste Garcin captured this view of a bridge and a quay in Geneva, immortalizing it on film. Here, the bridge is more than a mere structure; it symbolizes connection. Bridges have long held symbolic weight across cultures, representing a link between two worlds, states, or ideas. In ancient Rome, the Pontifex Maximus, or "Greatest Bridge-Builder," was a high priest, highlighting the bridge's spiritual significance as a link between the earthly and divine. This idea has persisted throughout history, evolving to embody transition, progress, and unity. Psychologically, bridges evoke a sense of anticipation and passage. The act of crossing one signifies overcoming obstacles, navigating change, and embracing the unknown. Consider, too, how water has been seen, from ancient mythology to modern psychology, as a symbol of the unconscious. Garcin's work shows a bridge over the river, as a continuous negotiation between our conscious and unconscious selves.