Koperplaat met de kaart van het riviervak De Lint op de Oude Maas 1789

This copperplate depicting the river section De Lint on the Oude Maas was crafted by Leonardus Schenk Jansz. The image presents a subdued palette where muted greys and browns dominate, evoking a sense of antiquity and the weight of history. Lines are etched with precision to delineate geographical features and chart the course of the river. These lines intersect and diverge, creating a network that maps both the physical space and the abstract systems of navigation and control. Schenk’s work invites us to consider how we impose structure on the natural world. The act of mapping transforms a fluid, organic entity into a set of fixed, knowable coordinates. This interplay between representation and reality is central to understanding the cultural and philosophical implications embedded in such cartographic endeavors. The image challenges fixed meanings as the river is constantly changing. Ultimately, it is a reminder that our understanding of space is always mediated.