South Brent, Devon, from Picturesque Selections 1860

This lithograph of South Brent, Devon, by James Duffield Harding, presents a pastoral scene dominated by a stone bridge. The bridge, a symbol of connection, spans a stream, evoking the ancient Roman aqueducts, themselves bridges carrying life-giving water. Consider the bridge motif – not merely a practical structure, but a potent symbol. It transcends physical space, linking disparate shores, much like how images traverse time, bearing cultural memory. The bridge in South Brent is not just stone and mortar; it echoes the Pontifex Maximus, the bridge-builder, a title held by Roman emperors and later Popes, signifying their role as mediators between the divine and the earthly realms. This seemingly simple image of a rural scene becomes a layered palimpsest of history. It reveals the psychological resonance of enduring symbols, echoing through centuries, shaping our understanding of connection and transition.