Kar met lading c. 1890 - 1900

George Hendrik Breitner sketched this evocative image of a cart with its load, at an unknown date, using pencil. The most striking element is the wheel, a symbol with ancient roots. Consider the wheel not merely as a tool of transport, but as a potent symbol of cyclical time and fate. In antiquity, the Wheel of Fortune dictated rises and falls, a motif echoed in countless mythologies. We can trace its presence from the Buddhist Dharmachakra representing the path to enlightenment, to its later adoption in Western esoteric traditions, where it symbolizes destiny and change. Here, in Breitner's sketch, the wheel's presence stirs a deep recognition. Perhaps it is the eternal return of labor, the weight of existence, or the turning of seasons. This image speaks to the underlying forces that shape human experience. It is a reminder of our shared past and perpetual struggles, and how symbols evolve, yet their echoes persist in our collective consciousness.