De Vierdaagse Zeeslag, 11-14 juni 1666 Possibly 1666

Willem van de Velde the Elder captured the Four Days’ Battle of June 1666 with pen in grey on this evocative artwork. Look at the ships, symbols of power and commerce, locked in a deadly dance across the water. Consider the ship, a motif that stretches back to antiquity. Think of the Egyptian barques carrying souls across the Nile, or the Greek triremes battling for supremacy. This vessel is not merely a tool of war. It is a vessel of souls, carrying hopes, fears, and the collective will of nations. The smoke from the cannons reminds us of the volatility of human affairs. This recalls images of chaos, a motif present since the earliest myths: the clash of primordial forces, a reminder of the fragility of order, and a symbol of constant flux and change. These symbols are a part of our shared subconscious; we recognize them instinctively, regardless of when and where we live. This is why, even centuries later, we can still feel the primal terror and exhilaration of the battle depicted in this artwork.