Christopher Columbus 1795 - 1849

Jean-Baptiste Dedéban created this print of Christopher Columbus sometime in the early 19th century. Framed in a garland of laurel, Columbus emerges, surrounded by symbols of exploration and classical antiquity. Note the pillar fragments, reminiscent of ancient ruins. Pillars, often symbols of strength and stability, appear broken here. This can be compared to images of classical ruins from the Renaissance, and are testaments to the passage of time, emblems of human endeavor and the ephemerality of empire. These gestures resonate through the ages, linking Columbus to a lineage of discovery and, perhaps, decline. Consider the ship at the print's base, a vessel that recalls not only Columbus's voyages but the countless journeys undertaken by humanity. The subconscious desire to venture into the unknown may be the most persistent human drive. This act of reaching beyond known boundaries, embedded deep within our collective psyche, resurfaces in different forms throughout history. Like an eternal return.