Slag bij Senta, 1697 1729

This print, made by Jan Wandelaar around 1697, commemorates the Battle of Senta. The dominant symbol here is the map encircled by ornate foliage, a cartographic representation framed as a laurel wreath, typically associated with victory and honor. This motif resonates across centuries. We might recall the Roman emperors whose heads were crowned with laurel, or even its reappearance during the Renaissance, symbolizing artistic and intellectual triumph. But here, it encloses not a hero's head, but a theater of war. The map, usually a tool for navigation and orientation, is now a battleground. Consider how this symbol has been adapted, shifting from personal glory to a collective, almost clinical, depiction of conflict. The laurel wreath, laden with the weight of history, serves here to enshrine a moment of intense human drama. It stirs our collective memory, engaging with our deep-seated fascination with power, conflict, and the human cost of victory.