Inspectie van het leger van Maurits in slagorde bij Neuss, 1610 1610 - 1612

Frans Hogenberg’s etching from 1610, "Inspection of the Army of Maurice in Battle Array near Neuss," meticulously illustrates the military might of Prince Maurice. Here, order and discipline take centre stage, expressed through the regimented lines of soldiers and equipment. The linear arrangement and geometric precision evoke ancient Roman military formations, a recurring motif throughout Western art history, symbolizing power, control, and the imposition of order upon chaos. Yet, the act of lining up goes beyond pure military strategy. It is, in itself, a powerful psychological tool: by organizing men into orderly lines, each individual is stripped of their identity, becoming a mere component of the grand, soulless war machine. The visual echo of Roman legions, juxtaposed with the machinery of early modern warfare, highlights the cyclical nature of history. We witness how archetypes of power and control re-emerge, adapted to new eras, but still rooted in the same primal human desires for order, dominance, and conquest.