Gezicht op de Koningsbrug over de Oude Haven in Rotterdam after 1860

Andries Jager captured this view of the Koningsbrug in Rotterdam with photography during the 19th century. The scene is bustling with figures, carts, and the architectural details of the bridge, which create a tableau of daily life. The bridge itself, with its structured form, serves as a powerful symbol of connection and transition. Bridges have long been associated with crossing over—both literally and metaphorically—from one state to another. We can trace this motif back to ancient Roman architecture, where bridges were not only functional but also symbolic of imperial power and divine will, embodied in the figure of the Pontifex Maximus, the 'greatest bridge-builder'. Consider how water—often representing the subconscious—flows beneath it, suggesting a passage through deeper, uncharted territories of the human psyche. In this photograph, the collective memory of human ingenuity and the urge to overcome natural barriers converge, evoking a potent sense of progress, while hinting at the continuous dance between the known and the unknown.