A Village Hut in India [recto] 1814 - 1824

George Chinnery sketched this Indian village hut using pen and ink. A humble dwelling is depicted, yet it resonates with ancient symbols of shelter and community. Notice the wheel leaning against the hut; a universal symbol found across cultures. The wheel appears in ancient Vedic traditions representing cosmic order, and the cycle of life, death and rebirth. This echoes in the Buddhist Dharma wheel. The wheel motif has traversed time and space, resurfacing in various forms. From ancient Mesopotamian art to modern-day mandalas, the wheel's enduring presence speaks to our innate human quest for understanding the cyclical nature of existence. In our subconscious, the wheel taps into primal emotions linked to our sense of time, continuity, and destiny.