Cover: The Voyage to New Zealand (1842 - 46) 1866

This is Charles Meryon’s etching from the 1840s, a cover illustration for ‘The Voyage to New Zealand,’ teeming with symbols of maritime adventure. Note the crossed swords at the top, emblems of conquest, and the naval flags and masts that frame the central text. These symbols evoke the spirit of exploration and the power dynamics inherent in colonial voyages. Think back to medieval heraldry, where crossed swords signified military authority, or consider Neptune’s trident in classical art, which morphed into these instruments of imperial reach. The ship itself, repeated on the horizon, recalls the ancient ship of state, a vessel carrying not just goods but also cultural ideologies. Consider too, the psychological weight of these voyages: the lure of the unknown, the projection of European desires onto distant lands, and the subconscious anxieties of the colonizers. The fish, plants, and tools laying under the ship are a symbolic representation of the land to be claimed. The voyage evolves, becoming a loaded symbol of historical change.