Aanleg van de metro, New York City Possibly 1905

This photogram of the New York City subway construction, taken by Grant W. Pullis, captures more than just a modern engineering project; it evokes a descent into the underworld. Notice the stark contrast between the dark tunnel and the distant light, a motif deeply embedded in our collective psyche. This symbol of the cave, like Plato’s, whispers of transformation and the journey from darkness to enlightenment. Consider the Mesopotamian myths of Inanna’s descent, or even Christ’s harrowing of hell, resurfacing in Dante’s *Inferno*. This archetype—of moving through darkness towards illumination—reappears across cultures and eras. The tunnel itself, with its steel ribs, mimics the architecture of cathedrals and tombs, underscoring a deep, perhaps subconscious, association with the passage to the unknown. The construction site, usually bustling with activity, is eerily still, intensifying the dreamlike quality. The symbolic journey, the cyclical nature of light and darkness, has been a constant throughout human history. In Pullis's image, this age-old narrative finds a modern expression, reminding us that progress, like myth, endlessly repeats itself.