Gevechten buiten Keulen, 1588 c. 1588 - 1591

This engraving, "Gevechten buiten Keulen," was crafted in 1588 by Frans Hogenberg. It shows a military battle with foot soldiers, cavalry, and cannons besieging a walled city. Cannons, prominently displayed, symbolize technological advancement and warfare. The cannon embodies power but also destruction, echoing through centuries from ancient siege engines to modern artillery. In this sense, cannons aren't merely instruments of war; they're powerful symbols of domination and change. Interestingly, there is a strong emotional undercurrent here: the chaos of battle, the fear of combatants. These emotions recur throughout art history from ancient friezes of warring city-states to Delacroix’s romantic depictions of battle. Collective memory embeds violence in our subconscious, forever associating it with these symbols. The cyclical nature of war, depicted through ever-evolving yet recurring symbols, indicates that while methods change, the underlying themes of power, destruction, and human conflict continue to resonate.