Aanleg van de Pont Rouelle over de Seine Possibly 1899

Emmanuel L. Pottier captured this image of the Pont Rouelle's construction over the Seine with photography. The image shows an in-progress bridge that will connect both sides of the river. The bridge, throughout history, symbolizes connection, transition, and passage—a link between two worlds. The bridge connects not only physical spaces but also abstract ideas, such as life and death, the known and the unknown. In antiquity, bridges were often seen as sacred, guarded by deities, symbolizing a divine link between the heavens and the earth, a motif found in Roman and Egyptian architecture. In the collective memory, the bridge is also a powerful psychological symbol, representing overcoming obstacles and achieving new perspectives. Consider, too, the "bridge builders" of our time, figures who work to reconcile different cultures, ideologies, and people. This bridge over the Seine is more than mere infrastructure; it is an emblem of aspiration, reaching across the waters, uniting disparate realms.