Plattegrond van Luxemburg 1616

Editor: Here we have Frans Hogenberg's 1616 engraving, "Plattegrond van Luxemburg," currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It's an ink drawing, and what immediately strikes me is how deliberately enclosed and fortified the city appears, almost like a living thing being carefully protected. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The symbolic language here is fascinating, isn't it? Beyond a mere representation, this map operates as a potent emblem of power, security, and civic pride. Consider the two figures placed prominently at the bottom: Who do you imagine them to be, and how are they oriented? Editor: Well, they appear to be a nobleman and a woman of stature. I'm assuming they’re purposefully positioned outside the walls, maybe acting as representatives of the city itself? Almost as if Luxembourg is being presented to them, or perhaps, to us, the viewer. Curator: Precisely! They symbolize citizenship but also viewership. Notice the heraldic shields as well. These are no mere decorations. They're statements of lineage and sovereignty. Maps like these weren't just about geographic accuracy. They projected Luxembourg’s image, its identity, within a tumultuous geopolitical landscape, and still resonate as such today. What about the way water is represented? Editor: I see the river encircling the city almost protectively, which I suppose enhances that feeling of safety and isolation. The landscape is actively being used as part of its defense system. Curator: Exactly. Consider how strategic a placement this was during periods of territorial dispute. How does this affect your understanding of cityscapes of this period? Editor: I hadn't really thought about it as propaganda before. I suppose I saw them more as historical documents, less as… deliberate constructions. Curator: Indeed. They actively shaped how a city and its inhabitants perceived themselves and how others perceived them. The very act of mapping is an act of claiming and controlling.