Poging om Amsterdam in te nemen, 1577 1577 - 1579

Frans Hogenberg created this print around 1577, depicting an attempt to seize Amsterdam. Note the clustered figures, a motif that stirs deep within our collective memory, echoing images of conflict and communal strife from antiquity to the present day. Observe the raised arms, some brandishing weapons, others gesturing in what might be surrender or desperate plea. This gesture—arms raised—reverberates through history, appearing in ancient friezes, Renaissance paintings, and even modern protest imagery. Think of the Laocoön, forever struggling against the serpents, or the supplicants in Goya's "The Third of May 1808." Such gestures speak to a primal human condition, a shared recognition of vulnerability and defiance. This visual language taps into our deepest fears and hopes, connecting us to the countless generations who have faced similar struggles. It's a potent reminder of the cyclical nature of history, how motifs resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings.