Plan van het beleg van Bergen (Mons), 1709 1709 - 1732

Pieter van Call's 1709 map, made with etching, depicts the siege of Mons. But it is more than a technical drawing; it is a tableau of power, where the Vauban star fort evokes ancient city fortifications, echoing symbols of protection and control stretching back to antiquity. The star fort motif is particularly fascinating. Here, it represents military might, yet similar radiating patterns appear in cosmological diagrams across cultures, symbolizing order and defense against chaos. Recall the sunbursts in Renaissance art or mandalas, each a microcosmic reflection of humanity's striving for security and structure. The map, thus, becomes a palimpsest of human endeavor, its star shape a form revived and repurposed across history, mirroring how cultural memory influences our present. The anxieties of defense, deeply rooted in our collective psyche, find renewed expression in each era. The image pulls us into an unconscious dialogue, reminding us of the cyclical nature of conflict and security throughout human history.