Plattegrond van Philippeville, ca. 1693-1696 1693 - 1696

Curator: Here we have a fascinating plan of Philippeville, dating from around 1693 to 1696. It's an engraving, and what strikes me is how geometric and almost jewel-like the city appears. Editor: Jewel-like is right! It’s like a complex snowflake rendered in shades of gray. There's a certain melancholy about the starkness, though, knowing it's not just decorative; it’s a military layout. A beautiful and deadly blueprint. Curator: Exactly. The star shape isn't arbitrary; it’s designed to maximize defensive capabilities. Each point allows for covering fire along adjacent walls, leaving attackers with nowhere to hide. You see, these fortifications emerged from specific political and military anxieties. Editor: Ah, the radiating pattern also seems loaded with symbolism, doesn’t it? Almost like a spider's web—the city at its center, connected by layers of defense—reflecting a deeply hierarchical society organized around power and control, but what I see in its heart, a desire for permanence and invulnerability, an archetypal fear speaking through the language of architecture. Curator: That's a beautiful interpretation. The city is more than just a collection of buildings; it is really a system. It shows the ambition and vision in building techniques, in which engineers aimed at constructing fortifications that were unbreakable and ideal. It's the image of an idealized and secured existence—a dream that, in truth, remained probably out of reach during these troubled times. Editor: Perhaps. And there's that tiny scene with the putti by a crown, tucked away in the lower corner; It almost looks comically lighthearted compared to the geometrical fortress they accompany, adding this layer of whimsical innocence to this highly strategic plan. It reminds me that even maps held space for dreams and desires—perhaps a longing for more innocent times. Curator: Absolutely. This blend makes the piece deeply captivating, capturing both the cold, calculated planning and a flicker of human charm. This engraving takes on a strange quality, turning it into something greater than just the depiction of place or military method. Editor: Well, considering everything, it leaves us with something to think about. This engraving is an example of an eternal ambition, of establishing our impact on the globe and guaranteeing security, and reveals how much we desire for the calm despite all this mess.