The first find raised from the Vasa when it was salvaged was a roaring lion´s head. The irate beast is now back on the ship, accompanied by around 500 other lions, kings and emperors, mermaids and heroes, angels and devils. The exhibition The Imagery of Power is about the purpose and symbolism underlying the ship´s rich decoration.

 

- Using the images on the ship the wielder of power, i.e. the Swedish king, wanted to improve his image in the outside world, says Head Curator Hans Soop, who has written a doctoral thesis on the Vasa´s sculptures and is responsible for the scientific content of the exhibition The Imagery of Power.

The profusion of symbolic images at the time of the Renaissance was at Gustavus Adolphus´ disposal. They were taken from the ancient mythology and history, from the Bible and from an imaginative Swedish prehistory.

- The stories behind the sculptures are often very colourful, says Anne-Louise Kemdal, producer of the exhibition. The Hercules figures on the stern are the most exciting. With other mythical figures, the hero of the ancient world ' steps down' from the ship and lives on in the exhibition.