Aanslag van Helling op Amsterdam, 1577 1722 - 1784

This print, made by Simon Fokke in the 18th century, depicts the attack by Captain Helling on Amsterdam in 1577. The tower looming large in the background, complete with a clock, represents civic order, now under siege. Consider how similar towers, often adorned with clocks, appear throughout history. In medieval illuminations, they symbolize the regulated life within monastic communities, where time was devoted to prayer and study. However, here, time itself is disrupted by violence, and the clock tower becomes a silent witness to human conflict. The act of raising a weapon, brandishing a sword, can be traced back to ancient reliefs and classical sculptures, where victorious soldiers or mythical heroes display their power. In this image, the gesture loses its heroic quality, as it is associated with the chaos of civil unrest. The image of the clock tower, a symbol of societal order, has resurfaced in modern cinema, often representing societal collapse. It evolves, shifting from order to chaos, resonating deeply within the collective psyche.