Kaart van de Franse linie in Brabant, 1703 1703 - 1729

This is an anonymous rendering of the French lines in Brabant, created in 1703. Dominating this map is the linear motif of the defensive lines, a testament to military strategy and territorial control, represented by the continuous meandering lines that cut across the landscape. The map, in its essence, mirrors the serpent, an ancient symbol that embodies both protection and threat. From the Ouroboros, the snake that eats its own tail, representing cyclical life and death, to the protective deities often depicted as serpents, the motif carries the duality of defense and potential danger. Consider how this serpent-like line, intended as a protective barrier, also imprisons and divides. It is a visual echo of humanity's complex relationship with boundaries and the ambiguous nature of security. In our collective memory, such lines are not merely physical barriers, but psychological ones, too. Through centuries, the line continues to resurface, evolving from territorial markers to digital pathways, eternally threading through our consciousness, forever evolving to fit the needs and anxieties of each age.