Parodie op de onderlinge strijd tussen Noorwegen, Denemarken en Zweden Possibly 1788 - 1808

Jan Brandes created this pen and wash drawing called 'Parody of the Internal Struggle between Norway, Denmark, and Sweden'. In it, we see a naval clash, a jumble of figures in boats, and land-based combat. Note the recurring symbol of conflict: swords brandished high. This gesture, primal in its assertion of power, echoes through millennia. Think of ancient Roman battle scenes where victorious gladiators raise their swords to cheering crowds. In the 18th century, it no longer signifies pure martial prowess. Here it becomes a satirical jab at the squabbles between nations. The raised sword, once a symbol of heroism, now mocks the futility of their endless feuds. This emotional tension—the clash between perceived glory and actual absurdity—engages us, the viewers, on a subconscious level. We recognize the gesture, but its context is skewed. It resurfaces time and again, each time layered with new meaning, a palimpsest of human conflict.