Vrouw die garen op een haspel windt 1755

Johann Georg Wille etched this image of an old woman winding yarn in the 18th century. The yarn she handles speaks volumes. Thread, in its simplest form, binds and connects. Consider the thread of Ariadne, given to Theseus to escape the labyrinth. A motif used throughout time, that same thread appears in ancient Minoan culture, a symbol of guidance through chaos. In this etching, it is a humble, domestic act, but even here, the thread links us to broader human experiences and myths. Look at her hands, worn and skilled, they tell of countless hours spent in the service of her craft, an emotional echo of generations past. Each twist of the yarn evokes a profound connection to our ancestors. The simple action transcends mere labor. This cyclical motion is not just work, it is a connection, a continuation. The woman is not winding thread; she is winding time itself, binding us to the past.