Gezicht op de baai van San Sebastián, met op de voorgrond een opstelling van kanonnen 1862 - 1876

Jean Andrieu’s photograph captures the Queen’s Battery in San Sebastián, showcasing cannons poised against the serene backdrop of the bay. These cannons, symbols of military might and defense, echo ancient protective deities found across cultures, from the Roman Mars to the Greek Athena. The row of cannons evokes a sense of ordered power and readiness. This arrangement reminds us of similar formations in ancient Roman military camps. The act of positioning weapons in a calculated manner is timeless; it is charged with a psychological weight suggesting both protection and potential aggression. Consider how such symbols resonate through time—the cannon, like the sword or spear before it, stirs deep-seated ancestral memories of conflict and security. The photograph serves as a potent reminder of how symbols of power persist, adapting to new contexts while retaining their core essence. In this cyclical dance of history, the Queen’s Battery stands as a testament to the enduring human impulse to guard, protect, and, when necessary, confront.