Le Havre, navires en pleine mer 1866

Eugène Boudin captured this scene of "Le Havre, navires en pleine mer" with oil on canvas, immortalizing the ships at sea. The flags are central, symbols of national identity and power, billowing atop the masts. Consider the flag – a symbol since ancient times. In the Roman Empire, the vexillum marked legions, instilling loyalty and signaling dominion. Here, the flags do the same, embodying the spirit and pride of nations. Smoke billows from the ship, a visual metaphor for progress but also conflict. This contrast mirrors the Janus-faced nature of symbols themselves, capable of representing opposing ideas simultaneously. Recall the swastika, once a benign symbol of good fortune, now tragically linked to hate. The same symbol can carry drastically different meanings across time and cultures, shaped by collective memory and the subconscious associations we project onto them. Notice how the flags evoke a deep emotional response, a blend of pride, patriotism, and perhaps, a sense of longing for home. Symbols resonate because they tap into our shared human experiences, the stories and emotions passed down through generations. They appear in different guises but the power of the symbol remains.