The Cab Road, Victoria Station 1895

James Tissot captured this bustling scene at Victoria Station with oil on panel. A complex symbol appears here - the wheel. Throughout history, the wheel transcends mere functionality. It emerges as a profound emblem of fate, recurrence, and relentless change. In ancient mythologies, the Wheel of Fortune illustrates life's unpredictable turns, lifting individuals to heights of glory or casting them into abysmal depths. We see in this image how porters push baggage carts through throngs of people at the station. This seemingly mundane activity carries echoes of Sisyphus, eternally pushing his boulder, thus reflecting our human condition of endless striving. Like the figures in this painting navigating the flux of the modern world, we, too, are propelled by forces beyond our control, perpetually caught in life’s cyclical rhythm. As such, this simple painting quietly resonates with the eternal dance of existence.