Aeneas vlucht uit Troje 1683 - 1732

Arnoud van Halen rendered this drawing, titled "Aeneas fleeing Troy," around the turn of the 18th century using pen and brown ink, brush, and brown wash. Here, we observe Aeneas carrying his father, Anchises, out of burning Troy. This act is laden with symbols of filial piety and duty. The imagery of carrying one's elders has roots in ancient cultures worldwide; from the Near East to Greece, it speaks to the core of societal values. Consider how this mirrors the Egyptian symbol of the Ankh—carried by gods and pharaohs to denote the carrying of life, the burden of existence, and the sacred duty of preserving one's lineage. The flight from Troy itself becomes a symbol of cultural transmission, the idea of carrying civilization's embers to a new land. The emotional weight of this imagery engages us on a subconscious level—evoking themes of survival, responsibility, and the endurance of memory. This imagery represents a cyclical progression, as civilizations rise, fall, and carry forward the echoes of their past.