Beleg van Gent, 1708 1714 - 1716

In Matthijs Pool’s etching of the Siege of Ghent, 1708, we see a city meticulously mapped, its fortifications resembling a complex labyrinth. These star-shaped fortresses, a common sight in 18th-century military cartography, are potent symbols of human attempts to impose order and control over both land and conflict. The star fort, with its angular projections designed to eliminate blind spots, echoes motifs found in ancient diagrams of cosmological order. This shape appears across cultures – from the ground plans of Renaissance ideal cities to medieval alchemical symbols representing spiritual fortresses. Observe how the city's layout is tightly bound within these geometric defenses, a visual metaphor for the psychological state of being under siege. It speaks to the collective anxiety and the subconscious desire for protection that permeates such times. This representation of Ghent, caught in the act of fortification, mirrors our deepest fears and our enduring quest for security. It reflects the non-linear, cyclical progression of human conflict, constantly resurfacing and evolving across history.