Inhoudsopgave van Souvenirs de Marine conservés 1885 - 1886

François-Edmond Pâris created this print titled 'Inhoudsopgave van Souvenirs de Marine conservés,' which features an image of a majestic sailing vessel, surrounded by organized lists and texts. The ship, a powerful symbol of exploration, trade, and military might, dominates the composition. For centuries, ships have bridged cultures and continents, their images evoking feelings of adventure and the unknown. Consider, for instance, the Egyptian funerary boats, vessels that were intended to carry the dead. These boats mirror the image of a ship transporting its sailors, cargo and passengers across vast oceans, and are linked to the ancient motif of a vessel navigating the waters of the afterlife. The symbolic significance is evident—ships, in both literal and metaphorical voyages, carry humans through life’s perilous journeys. Through time, the image of the ship reappears, continuously altered by cultural and historical experiences. It’s a potent reminder that human progress and the ever-changing world are intertwined.