Gezicht op Rotterdam gezien vanaf de Maas 1797

Gerrit Groenewegen’s print captures Rotterdam as seen from the Maas, rendered with etching. The most prominent symbols here are the ships, each bearing flags that denote trade, power, and connection to distant lands. Ships have long served as potent symbols, evoking themes of exploration, trade, and the human desire to traverse the unknown. Consider how ancient Egyptians interred solar barques with pharaohs, meant to carry them into the afterlife, or the Viking longships, symbols of conquest and adventure, immortalized in Norse sagas. Notice how Groenewegen's ships also speak to the mercantile spirit of the Dutch Golden Age, where such vessels were vital arteries of global commerce. This image is not just a picturesque scene; it's a tableau of ambition and a culture's reach, capturing the collective aspirations and deep-seated drives of a society engaged in global exchange. This primal engagement remains, stirring something deep within us even now.