Beleg van Breda, 1624-1625 1624

Claes Jansz. Visscher etched this print, "Beleg van Breda, 1624-1625," immortalizing the siege of Breda. The layout of the star-shaped fort and the positioning of troops reflect a dance of death and strategy. These fortifications, while appearing rational, echo ancient symbols of protection and order. The star fort, reminiscent of cosmological diagrams, isn't merely architectural but deeply symbolic. Think back to the medieval mandalas, the geometric precision intended to ward off chaos. Consider the compass rose, a visual tool which denotes the psychological impulse of the mind to navigate through uncertainty. Here, the star fort serves a similar psycho-spiritual function, attempting to control the uncontrollable—war. Notice how the map's orientation invites us to survey and dominate the scene, reflecting a human desire to impose order on chaos, an impulse as old as civilization itself. Such cartographic dominance mirrors humanity’s eternal quest to understand and control our world.