Gezicht op het dorp Commissey en de omgeving van Tanlay 1631 - 1661

This is an etching made by Israel Silvestre in the 17th century, a tranquil scene of Commissey and Tanlay. Notice the bridge that elegantly stretches over the river; bridges have always been potent symbols, haven’t they? They are physical structures and potent metaphors for connection and transition, evoking the liminal space between two worlds. One can draw parallels from the Roman Pontifex Maximus, literally, "greatest bridge-builder"— a title that later transferred to the Pope, underscoring the Church's role as a bridge between humanity and the divine. The image prompts reflection on how we bridge our own divides, both internal and external. Bridges in art remind us of humanity’s ceaseless quest to connect, to understand, and to find passage through life’s ever-flowing river. This bridge serves as a conduit—linking not just landscapes but also our own historical consciousness.