A view of Wei-Hai-Wei harbour, Liukung Island and its town, and the vessels in harbour Possibly 1895

This photograph, taken by the Ordnance Survey Office, captures a view of Wei-Hai-Wei harbour, Liukung Island, its town, and vessels in the harbour. Dominating the scene is the harbor itself, a potent symbol of connection and exchange, but also of potential conflict and vulnerability. This motif of the harbor, as a gateway and a point of entry, echoes throughout history—from ancient Greek ports bustling with trade to Renaissance depictions of naval power. The ships in the harbour, silent yet imposing, evoke the timeless symbol of the ship as a vessel of souls, navigating the uncertain waters of life, a motif that has ancient roots. Consider the image of boats in distress in, say, a Turner painting, and how, in this earlier work, we see the seeds of a similar unease. The collective memory of maritime disasters and the psychological weight of venturing into the unknown are palpable. The image engages our subconscious, resonating with primal fears and aspirations. This is the enduring power of images, resurfacing in new forms, charged with the emotional and psychological energies of the past.