Beleg van Bergen op Zoom, 1747 1747 - 1750

This print, made by Martin Marvie around 1747, depicts the siege of Bergen op Zoom. Notice how the detailed line work and panoramic composition create a sense of vastness and chaos. The dense network of lines illustrates the fortifications and troop movements, while plumes of smoke punctuate the scene. Marvie uses a high vantage point to survey the battlefield, emphasizing the strategic layout of the siege. This perspective flattens the space, reducing depth and turning the event into an almost map-like representation. The organization of space and shapes within the frame invites us to consider war as a system, a structured interaction between opposing forces. The absence of color directs our focus to the lines and forms, accentuating the print's graphic quality. The lines delineate not just physical structures but also the complex interplay of power and strategy. The seemingly objective rendering of conflict invites an examination of the codes and structures underlying such events.