The Devil's Bridge on the Via Mala near Andermatt in the Canton of Uri
ca 1780
This dramatic 1780 drawing by Franz Schütz captures the legendary Devil's Bridge (Teufelsbrücke) tucked deep within the terrifyingly steep Schöllenen Gorge in Switzerland. Look closely at that tiny arched bridge—it looks completely dwarfed by the massive, jagged cliffs looming above it! According to local folklore, the devil himself built this bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross it, but the clever locals outsmarted him by sending a goat across first. It's a perfect example of the Rococo era's fascination with the 'sublime'—nature so wild and overwhelming that it makes humans feel wonderfully small.
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