Kamer waar de vrede is getekend in het Huis ter Nieuburch in Rijswijk, 1697 1697

Jan van Vianen’s etching depicts the room in Rijswijk where the Treaty of Peace was signed in 1697. Above the assembly, celestial symbols – stars and figures of eight – adorn the ceiling. These stars, reminiscent of ancient cosmological maps, might suggest the dawn of a new, enlightened era of peace, their light penetrating the darkness of conflict. Yet, figures of eight, or lemniscates, are more intriguing. This symbol, later adopted to represent infinity, appears here in a nascent form. Do these figures suggest endless negotiations or the infinite possibilities born from peace? We find the lemniscate echoed in ancient depictions of the serpent Ouroboros, consuming its own tail in an eternal cycle. Like the serpent, the cycle of peace and conflict is a recurring motif throughout human history, suggesting collective memory of cyclical change. This evokes a powerful sense of timelessness, reminding us that even in moments of resolution, the echoes of the past resonate, shaping our understanding of the present.