Gezicht op de Kolk in Rotterdam met spoorwegviaduct c. 1860 - 1900

Andries Jager captured this view of the Kolk in Rotterdam with a railway viaduct using photography in the 19th century. The viaduct, with its repetitive arches, is a striking feature, representing progress and modernity. Arches have long been symbolic in architecture and art, suggesting passage, triumph, and connection. Think of Roman triumphal arches, or the archways in Renaissance paintings, framing sacred spaces. Here, the viaduct's arches reflect the city's embrace of industrial advancement. The reflections in the water below add another layer, a mirror to reality, but also a distorted, dreamlike echo. It is as if the city is contemplating its own image, its past and future intertwined. The subconscious pull is powerful, inviting us to consider how our own cities, and lives, balance the weight of history with the drive for progress. This image takes part in a cycle of constant reinvention, where old forms are adapted and imbued with new purpose.