Ariadne insures Theseus

Theseus ventured into the labyrinth of the Minotaur – half man, half bull – in order to kill it. He was given a ball of wool from Princess Ariadne to unroll while going through the labyrinth, ensuring that he could find his way back out again. In 1657, Willem Strijcker painted the moment when the hero gives the ball of wool (all neatly rolled up!) back to his beloved. The Minotaur and the labyrinth can be seen in the background. This painting hangs in the former Insurance Chamber (now the bedroom of the English Quarter) where merchants could insure their ships and merchandise.