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

Editor: So, here we have "Schouwburg van den oorlog," or "Theatre of War," a print from around 1700-1710 by Pieter Schenk, showcasing cityscapes using ink and engraving. There's something about these meticulously drawn fortifications, these geometric shapes imposed on the land, that feels both strategic and strangely beautiful. What do you see when you look at this? Curator: It's like looking at the blueprints for anxiety, isn’t it? Each city meticulously planned, defended against… everything, it seems. Schenk wasn't just mapping cities; he was mapping fear, visualizing a world obsessed with protection. Do you notice how each little fortress is both unique, adapted to its terrain, and yet utterly identical in its purpose: to keep something *out*? It makes you wonder what exactly they were all so afraid of, doesn't it? Or perhaps, what they were so desperate to keep *in*? Editor: That’s a fascinating way to put it - blueprints for anxiety! I hadn’t considered that the geometry itself might be symbolic. Were these designs actually used, or were they more aspirational? Curator: Oh, absolutely, many of these are real places, imagined through a militaristic lens! Schenk was capitalizing on a widespread obsession with security. The Baroque period was nothing if not theatrical, even in its defenses! It's a very human thing to try and control the uncontrollable, to impose order onto chaos, even if all it achieves is a pretty picture of our collective neurosis. A pretty picture that then perhaps invites us to… consider what freedom would be without it. Editor: It’s interesting how the artist turned practical planning into almost an art form. Thanks. This makes me want to explore cartography further now! Curator: My pleasure. Just remember, every map tells a story. And often, the most interesting stories are the ones it *doesn't* tell.