Inname van Rheinberg, 1590 1649 - 1651

This anonymous engraving depicts the siege of Rheinberg in 1590. Dominated by scenes of conflict, the eye is drawn to the centrally positioned military figures on horseback, with soldiers carrying flags. Flags, or vexilla, have been used since antiquity as symbols of military power, national identity, and allegiance. We see them carried into battle here, reminiscent of Roman standards which bore emblems of eagles and deities, promising victory. Through time, the flag has evolved. In medieval Europe, flags represented feudal lords, morphing into the national symbols we recognize today. Consider how these symbols engage our collective memory and subconscious. They represent a desire for victory, a powerful emotion that transcends time. The drama of battle scenes, with flags as focal points, stirs deep-seated feelings connected to ancestral struggles. Flags are not mere pieces of cloth; they are potent symbols that stir the collective unconscious, embodying hopes, fears, and identities in a continuous cycle throughout history.