Illustratie voor 'Den Arbeid van Mars' van Allain Manesson Mallet 1672

This is Romeyn de Hooghe's engraving for Allain Manesson Mallet's 'Den Arbeid van Mars,' a military manual from the late 17th century. Note the geometrically precise rendering of fortifications, a symbolic language of power and control. The star-shaped fort is a potent symbol, its points like grasping claws, embodying a strategic dance between defense and aggression. Echoes of this star-shaped pattern reverberate through history, from the Renaissance star forts designed by Leonardo da Vinci, meant to deter invaders, to the five-pointed star on flags representing unity and purpose. The psychological weight of these symbols is profound. Fortifications offer not only physical security but also psychological reassurance. The visual language of geometry and order speaks to humanity's deep-seated need to impose control on an unpredictable world, reflecting our subconscious desires for safety, dominance, and the illusion of permanence. In our modern era, these forms persist—altered, adapted, but still resonant. The cyclical return of such symbols reminds us that human anxieties and aspirations remain remarkably constant, even as the world around us transforms.