Stellage voor het vuurwerk bij de viering van de Vrede van Utrecht, 1713 1713

Bernard Picart created this drawing of the stand for fireworks celebrating the Peace of Utrecht in 1713. Look closely at the triumphal structure: you will observe that the lion is a dominant symbol, holding a flag. The lion, historically associated with courage and power, embodies the strength and pride of a nation. This is not new; we can trace its prominence back to ancient heraldry. In the ancient Near East, the lion was a symbol of royal power, often depicted in monumental sculptures guarding palaces. Think of the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. The lion's presence speaks to a deep-seated need to assert dominance, a motif repeated across cultures. Even in contemporary contexts, the lion remains a powerful symbol, evoking feelings of authority and national identity, like a collective memory, triggering associations with historical power structures and primal instincts related to protection and territoriality. The symbol’s ability to reappear, loaded with new layers of meaning, speaks to a cyclical pattern of cultural memory.