Kaart van het Hoogheemraadschap van de Krimpenerwaard (deel wapenrand) 1683 - 1706

Editor: So, this is a portion of a map from 1683 to 1706 called "Kaart van het Hoogheemraadschap van de Krimpenerwaard" by an anonymous artist. It's an engraved print with elaborate calligraphy, mostly depicting a coat of arms. It gives a very formal, almost severe, impression. What do you make of it? Curator: Formal, yes, but also full of symbolic quirks! See how the lettering in "Hoogheemraadschap" almost shouts at you? Then that proud duck perched atop the crest! I wonder, were ducks particularly important to this region's water management? I immediately picture vigilant ducks patrolling the waterways… or perhaps that's just me getting carried away. What jumps out to you, really? Editor: I keep noticing the detail in the swirls around the coat of arms – that looks so delicate and precise, it must have taken ages. It feels at odds with the quite functional nature of a map. Curator: Ah, you see, it is form and function! In that period, even utilitarian objects were opportunities to display artistry and civic pride. That detail broadcasts power, precision… dare I say, a touch of watery flamboyance! Those swirls echo the movement of the water, don't you think? How wild to think someone etched that *knowing* we might be considering it hundreds of years later. Editor: That's true, I didn’t think of that. So it's less about pure cartography and more about making a statement? Curator: Precisely. Maps weren't just about directions; they were assertions of control, glimpses into a society's values...and possibly, an expression of someone's deep, perhaps slightly odd, love for waterfowl. Editor: That’s fascinating! It’s changed how I see the piece, noticing how much more it communicates. Curator: Isn’t it brilliant? Maps whispering stories. They are good at it.