Gebruik van de meetplank geïllustreerd 1690

This small print at the Rijksmuseum, made by Sébastien Leclerc I, is an illustration of how to use a surveyor's plane table. The composition is divided into three distinct horizontal panels, each depicting a different landscape scenario. Leclerc skillfully uses line and perspective to convey depth and spatial relationships. The careful rendering of architectural details and landscapes indicates a desire to codify and visually dissect space during the 17th century. This reflects broader scientific and philosophical inquiries into understanding the structure of the world through geometry. The print functions as a visual tool, demonstrating the mechanics of measurement and representation. Leclerc transforms the landscape into a series of calculated lines and angles. This speaks to the era's evolving relationship between perception and knowledge, where empirical observation and mathematical precision were becoming central to understanding reality.