Tekstblad bij de prent van de gevluchte Franse schepen in Saint-Malo, 1692 1692

This print, made by Pieter Persoy, a Dutch printmaker and map seller, depicts the French ships that fled to Saint-Malo in 1693. It was made using etching and published as a broadside. This print provides a birds-eye view of the naval battle. But it also functions as a detailed diagram of the fortifications defending the French fleet in Saint-Malo. In the 17th century, the Dutch Republic was at war with France. Amsterdam was the center of a booming map and print industry; prints such as this were produced for a popular audience eager for news of battles. The image creates meaning through the visual codes of military cartography, offering a detailed rendering of an event in progress. As historians, we can analyze this image alongside other sources, such as military reports and eyewitness accounts, to reconstruct the events it depicts and understand its significance in its historical context.