Vluchtende Franse schepen worden achtervolgd door het Engelse schip Zealous, 2 augustus 1798 1800 - 1812

This aquatint by William Ellis depicts the English ship Zealous pursuing fleeing French vessels on August 2, 1798. Notice how the ship cuts through the water, smoke billowing as the ship discharges its cannons, a potent symbol of power and dominance. Consider the ship as a vessel, an archetypal image that traverses millennia, from the Egyptian barques carrying souls to the afterlife to the ships of the Argonauts braving unknown waters. In ancient Greece, the ship was not merely a mode of transport but a symbol of the soul’s journey. Likewise, the ship, as a symbol, reappears during the Age of Exploration, becoming a vehicle of conquest, an expression of human ambition. Here, the ship's aggressive posture isn't just about naval combat; it taps into a deeper, primal psychology. The pursuit embodies a relentless drive, a subconscious urge to overcome, triggering in the viewer a complex mix of fear, awe, and a sense of historical destiny. Like the wheel, the image of the ship continues its journey through time, evolving, yet echoing its ancient origins.