Ships in Battle c. 17th century

Curator: François Collignon's "Ships in Battle," housed at the Harvard Art Museums, captures a chaotic naval engagement in a mere 13 by 21 centimeters. Editor: The overwhelming impression is one of complete disarray. A roiling, churning scene of conflict. Curator: Note the composition: swirling clouds of smoke that both obscure and define the conflict, balanced by the lines of the ships themselves. Editor: Those clouds evoke the smoke of Hades. The flags of the ships resemble serpents, evoking a sense of danger and deception, wouldn’t you say? It's war as an infernal struggle. Curator: Perhaps. But I see the rigorous engraving technique, the contrast of light and dark, creating a visually arresting depiction beyond mere symbolism. Editor: But aren't those symbols precisely how we remember, how culture persists? The serpent, the smoke… Curator: Ultimately, the visual tension achieves a unique aesthetic experience, regardless of any pre-coded meanings. Editor: A powerful image, regardless of how one interprets its significance.