Portret van Maarten Tromp 1639

Crispijn van den Queborn etched this portrait of Maarten Tromp in 1639. The most striking symbol is the laurel wreath encircling the portrait, a classical motif signifying victory and honor. This wreath echoes ancient Roman triumphs, where victorious generals were crowned with laurel. Yet, its appearance here, on a Dutch admiral, reveals a fascinating cultural adaptation. The laurel, originally a symbol of military prowess in land battles, is here translated to the naval context. Consider how Neptune, god of the sea, is alluded to in the inscriptions below. In that same vein, this shift reflects the Dutch Republic's maritime power and its reinterpretation of classical symbols to suit its own identity. The portrait, laden with symbolic weight, thus engages viewers on a subconscious level, evoking the awe and reverence traditionally associated with heroes. It's a cyclical return of an ancient symbol, transformed and imbued with new meaning in a different era.