Gebruik van een meetplank geïllustreerd 1690

This is Sébastien Leclerc’s ‘Gebruik van een meetplank geïllustreerd,’ an engraving made in the late 17th or early 18th century. The image is achieved by incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. It shows the use of a surveying board, illustrating the principles of perspective and measurement. But consider the labor involved: from the mining of the metal for the plate to the skilled work of the engraver, each stage involved specialized knowledge. The stark lines and precise geometric forms convey a sense of scientific accuracy, reflecting the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and empirical observation. Yet, the image also speaks to the hierarchical nature of knowledge production, with skilled artisans translating intellectual concepts into tangible form. Leclerc’s print invites us to consider the social and economic context in which it was produced, blurring the boundaries between art, science, and craft.