Aantekeningen over de eerste N.O. doorvaartpoging-expeditie, 1594 c. 1594 - 1596

This anonymous work from 1594, now at the Rijksmuseum, presents us with a fragment of historical record. It appears to be a page taken from the logbook of the first Dutch expedition, the 'N.O. doorvaartpoging,' an attempt to find a Northeast Passage. Paper, in itself, is laden with symbolic weight, bearing witness to the journey. Think about how Egyptian papyrus scrolls, filled with hieroglyphs of the Book of the Dead, guided souls to the afterlife. Here, the tattered state of the notes speaks of time and turmoil, a potent symbol. The act of recording, of chronicling, is an attempt to stave off oblivion, to capture and preserve experiences, to create a lasting testament. Much like the classical sculptures that echoed the Greeks’ aspirations of heroism, this page is a cultural artifact, carrying the hopes, fears, and memories of those who braved uncharted waters. It resonates with humanity's enduring quest for knowledge, for conquest, and for legacy.