Kaart van kust bij Duinkerke 1735

This is an anonymous map of the coast near Duinkerke. Note the compass rose dominating the upper part of the image, a symbol deeply rooted in human navigation and orientation. The compass, far more than a mere tool, it's an emblem of mankind's quest for direction, echoing the ancient mariner's reliance on celestial bodies. It's a motif that surfaces time and again in art, literature, and even the subconscious, representing not just physical direction but also moral and spiritual guidance. Consider the "Wheel of Fortune" in medieval iconography, which shares visual similarities. The wheel, like the compass, suggests a cyclical journey, a navigation through life's unpredictable seas. This resonates with the psychoanalytic concept of the "collective unconscious." The compass rose can awaken a primal human desire for orientation and control amidst the chaotic currents of existence. The symbol's journey through time mirrors our own; it resurfaces, evolves, and gains new layers of meaning, reflecting the changing tides of human experience.