Het cavaleriekamp op het Malieveld te 's-Gravenhage, 1742; de linkervleugel 1742

This delicate drawing by Cornelis Pronk captures a cavalry encampment on the Malieveld in The Hague, 1742. The tents, arranged in neat rows, speak of order and the discipline of military life. The tent itself carries a profound, layered symbolism. From the nomadic dwellings of ancient tribes to the temporary shelters of Roman legions, the tent represents both vulnerability and resilience, a mobile home that signifies a life lived on the move. Think of the Old Testament, where the 'Tent of Meeting' was the place of divine encounter. In a military context, the tent is the locus of strategy and camaraderie. Notice how the tent is echoed throughout history, for example in medieval tapestries depicting the Crusades. Each time it reappears, it gathers new layers of meaning. The tent becomes a vessel for collective memory, a transient structure that represents the ebb and flow of human endeavor. It triggers deep-seated associations of shelter, community, and the ever-present awareness of impermanence.