Prins Willem III ontvangt edelen bij zijn aankomst in Engeland, 1688 1689

Pieter Pickaert etched this print of Prince William III's arrival in England in 1688, capturing a pivotal moment with potent symbols. The orderly rows of ships in the harbor and the linear procession of nobles are emblems of power and the controlled transfer of authority. Consider how the rigid formations echo the Roman military parades depicted on triumphal arches. Here, the imagery has shifted from conquest to a more tempered, political negotiation. The flags and banners, reminiscent of ancient Roman vexilla, are repurposed, now representing national identity and allegiance. Yet, beneath the surface of order, the collective excitement hints at underlying tensions. The subconscious desire for stability clashes with the volatile nature of political change. Even the most carefully staged processions cannot fully mask the anxieties inherent in such transitions of power. These symbols, passed down and re-contextualized, reveal that history does not march in a straight line but rather in a cyclical dance of recurring motifs.