The Forth Bridge before 1890

This image shows the Forth Bridge, captured in a sketch by the artist in 1885. The bridge's form, with its cantilevered design, echoes the arches found in Roman aqueducts and Gothic cathedrals, structures that similarly aimed to overcome physical boundaries. The triangular latticework repeats to create a pattern across the horizon and the sky. This speaks to a human desire for order and connection, reminiscent of the 'horror vacui'—an ancient artistic impulse to fill every space with detail, warding off emptiness. We find it in the elaborate illuminations of medieval manuscripts. The bridge also resembles a modern, metallic interpretation of the Tower of Babel. It reaches for the sky, embodying both aspiration and the potential for hubris inherent in technological advancement. This image evokes a sense of awe, tinged with the sublime; it is the bridge itself, a symbol of progress, that allows us to see our reflection in this image. It takes us back and forward, in a never-ending cyclical process.