Allegorie op Oorlog en Vrede 1593 - 1635

Cornelis Dircksz Boissens etched this allegory on war and peace, filled with symbolic figures, in the late 16th or early 17th century. The scene stages the contrast between the destructive forces of war and the serene promise of peace. Central to this is the depiction of a nude female figure symbolizing peace, flanked by armed figures. She stands adjacent to symbols of war—broken weapons and defeated soldiers, motifs that echo throughout art history. The symbolic use of the broken weapon, for instance, appears as early as ancient Roman art, often signaling the end of conflict. The image of peace, often a female figure, appears throughout different historical contexts. Here, it’s less about the newness of the symbols themselves but more about their cyclical recurrence and enduring psychological impact. These symbols speak to our collective memory. Ultimately, the scene’s emotional power comes from its universal themes: the longing for peace amidst the ever-present threat of war.