Kaart van het noordelijk halfrond 1598

This anonymous map of the northern hemisphere, printed with etching, presents a world still taking shape in the European imagination. At its heart, we find the compass rose. This is not merely a navigational tool; it's a symbolic yearning, a desire to orient ourselves in the cosmos. The compass rose, which evokes the winds, echoes in ancient Greek art, where wind gods guide voyages and inspire the rhythms of poetry. Yet, unlike the certainties of ancient myths, here, the compass is surrounded by a world only partially known. The Americas are but a sliver, Asia stretches vaguely, and the Arctic remains a mystery. This cartographic uncertainty hints at the psychological underpinnings of exploration. It reflects not only a desire for geographical knowledge but also an unconscious drive to confront the unknown. Each voyage, charted with these compasses, becomes a journey into the self, a confrontation with the limits of human understanding. The map, like our dreams, captures a world in formation, shaped by both knowledge and primal desires.