Søkamp mellem danske fartøjer og et tyrkisk sørøverskib 1673

Jacob Mortenssøn Maschius created this image of a naval battle between Danish and Turkish ships as an etching. It's a high-stakes scene, filled with smoke and the chaos of combat. This depiction is from a time when naval power was critical to trade and empire. Consider the identities of those involved. On one side, the Danish, representing a European kingdom with colonial ambitions. On the other, the Turkish, or rather, Barbary pirates, who were often associated with the Ottoman Empire. What we might understand as piracy was, for those involved, sometimes a form of resistance or a means of economic survival. Maschius invites us to witness a clash of cultures and power. The billowing smoke and turbulent waters evoke the human drama of these encounters. The image is a potent reminder of how maritime conflicts shaped the world.