Verovering van Ulm, 1704 1735

This engraving, made around 1704 by Zacharias Chatelain II, depicts the conquest of Ulm, highlighting a flat ground plan of the city and its fortifications. Below this, allegorical figures recline alongside a golden crown, flanked by cannons and military drums. The crown is a symbol laden with millennia of socio-cultural significance and power. Think of the crowns of antiquity – from the laurel wreaths of Roman emperors to the elaborate headdresses of ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Here, the crown represents the transfer of power, a motif echoed across epochs. In medieval tapestries and Renaissance paintings, the presence of a crown often signified divine right and authority, and even in modern-day political cartoons, it can denote supremacy or leadership. Its evolution reflects our ever-changing relationship with authority, transforming from symbols of sacred endorsement to tools of political commentary. It is a cyclical return, echoing through the corridors of time, resurfacing in ways that both honor and critique the potent idea of supremacy.