Illustratie voor 'Den Arbeid van Mars' van Allain Manesson Mallet 1672

Romeyn de Hooghe created this illustration for Allain Manesson Mallet’s book using etching. Observe how a fortress plan looms above the figure of a soldier in a landscape. The V-shaped design directs our gaze downwards, grounding us in the earthly realm where a solitary figure stands amidst fields and a distant windmill. The windmill, a symbol of industry and progress, juxtaposes the fortifications above. The image brings to mind similar depictions of citadels in Renaissance emblems, where architectural plans symbolized power. These forms echo through history—from ancient ziggurats to modern skyscrapers—each structure reflecting humanity's timeless aspiration to dominate and control. It serves as a potent symbol, engaging us on a subconscious level. Here, the past and present intertwine, reminding us that progress and destruction are inextricably linked in the human psyche.