De exercitie met schild en spies: de soldaat houdt het schild met de linkerhand vóór het lichaam (nr. 6), 1618 1616 - 1618

This is a print made in 1618 by Adam van Breen, depicting a soldier in the midst of his exercise with shield and spear. Notice the shield, held firmly in the soldier’s left hand, a protective barrier adorned with elaborate patterns. Shields, throughout history, have been more than mere defensive tools. Consider the Greek hoplites, their shields emblazoned with personal or civic symbols, forming a unified wall of defense. We may consider the shield's evolution across epochs, from the simple hide-covered bucklers to the ornate, heraldic shields of the medieval knights. These martial symbols resonate deeply within our collective psyche. The act of bearing arms, be it spear or shield, evokes a sense of readiness, resilience, and an implicit understanding of the human capacity for both creation and destruction. This image engages the viewer on a level that is both primal and profound, conjuring the memory of humanity's long and complex relationship with warfare.