Schouwburg van den oorlog (blad XXIX), ca. 1700-1710 Possibly 1700 - 1722

Curator: Isn't this "Schouwburg van den oorlog," possibly from around 1700 to 1722, by Pieter Schenk, intriguing? A whole book spread dedicated to the art of…well, looking at war from above. What's your first impression? Editor: It's like a very elaborate board game! All those little fortifications look so meticulously planned. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: It makes me ponder what cartography truly represents. Here, these aren't simple maps, are they? Schenk transforms war into a kind of theater—the "schouwburg" or "theater" in the title. Do you get a sense that he's aestheticizing conflict itself, or trying to find some order within chaos? Editor: Definitely aestheticizing it. There's a beauty in the geometry, even if the subject is…grim. I’m wondering, though, is there a glorification of warfare here? Curator: Perhaps, or maybe a detached fascination. Remember, in the Baroque period, grandeur and spectacle were prized, even in depicting less than glorious subjects. Look at the detail, almost obsessively rendered. But I suspect there's more. Are we looking at power? Defense? A wish to understand this constant state of conflict? Schenk leaves the question open, I think. Editor: That's a helpful point! Seeing it less as glorification, more as this intense need to chart and comprehend conflict itself shifts my perspective. It's about seeking knowledge more than celebrating victory. Curator: Exactly! Each tiny fortress, a symbol of human ingenuity and, of course, folly. A rather thought-provoking combination, don’t you think? It invites contemplation on our history.