Doorsnede van de Aarde 1706

This is Sébastien Leclerc's "Doorsnede van de Aarde," an engraving printed in the late 17th or early 18th century. The image is dominated by a circular form representing a cross-section of the earth, rendered in detailed, almost scientific precision. The composition is structured around contrasting textures. The outer ring, a mottled mix of dark and light, perhaps signifies the earth's crust. At its center is a swirling vortex, drawn with delicate lines that suggest a dynamic, fluid core. Leclerc employs linear perspective not to create depth, but to reveal an internal structure. The engraving uses the circle—a symbol of wholeness—to dissect and reveal, challenging the viewer's perception. By combining scientific illustration with symbolic form, Leclerc invites us to consider the earth not as a solid, immutable object, but as a complex, dynamic system. This interplay of form and concept destabilizes our understanding of the world.