Aemilia, het vlaggenschip van Tromp, ca. 1635 1635 - 1651

This etching, circa 1635, depicts the Aemilia, flagship of Tromp, by an anonymous artist. Note the ship's stern, richly adorned with a figure—likely a female allegory, a motif harking back to classical antiquity. The image is reminiscent of the Roman goddess Fortuna, who stands tall on ships' bows, guiding them through uncertain waters. This enduring symbol of fate and fortune stretches back to ancient Rome, where Fortuna was a vital deity, her image emblazoned on coins, and her temples dotting the landscape. The ship, a vessel traversing the seas, carries its passengers towards the hope of new lands, and the dread of the unknown. What resonates across time is this depiction of collective hopes and fears. These symbols are not static; they evolve, responding to the ebb and flow of cultural memory.