Plattegrond van Hamburg, ca. 1702 1702 - 1703

Curator: Here we have an anonymous drawing from around 1702, titled “Plattegrond van Hamburg,” which translates to "Map of Hamburg.” It is rendered in pen and ink and resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It feels…calculated. Rigid. The precision in the linework is striking; it makes the city appear almost like a complex machine, not quite organic. Curator: Precisely. What you're observing are the deliberate choices that were made by its maker to emphasize Hamburg’s status as a meticulously planned and fortified trade center at the turn of the 18th century. Editor: Fortified indeed! All those repetitive little fortifications surrounding it. Was this meant to depict the lived experience or promote a vision? Curator: More the latter, I suspect. The level of detail would've taken considerable labor. Every stroke of the pen, every calculated line contributed to its creation and aimed at boosting Hamburg's strategic and commercial reputation. The economic stakes in portraying Hamburg as unassailable were considerable. Editor: So, its primary function was not to guide but to impress? Still, notice the river...the subtle way the water is suggested with lighter strokes. The contrast provides depth and movement amidst the static city. And observe how the use of cross-hatching delineates areas of shadow. It introduces an almost palpable dimensionality. Curator: Shadow signifying influence, maybe? Power? This map's stark style also links to broader artistic practices. Its clean aesthetic aligned with the prevailing emphasis on rationalism. The materiality here is quite potent, even though monochrome. Editor: Agreed. It invites scrutiny, revealing further levels of symbolic meaning embedded within its meticulous rendering. Curator: Thinking about the production—who was commissioned to do it? Who consumed this image, and under what circumstances? A merchant’s table versus a prince’s study influences my reading. Editor: Indeed. Considering the original context reveals much about its cultural and economic importance at the time, a powerful, lasting reminder of our material roots. Thank you for that insight.