Gezicht op Tours 1561 - 1682

This anonymous print offers us a bird’s eye view of Tours, France, likely made to be included in a city atlas. What might seem like an objective record of the city is actually a carefully constructed image, one that tells us a great deal about the cultural and institutional history of its time. By emphasizing the height of church spires and civic buildings, the artist visually reinforced the power of religious and political institutions. The inclusion of fashionable figures in the foreground signals the importance of commerce to the city. This print was likely commissioned by a wealthy patron or institution, reflecting the tastes and interests of the elite. The production of cityscapes like this one was tied to the growth of cartography and the increasing importance of urban centers in the early modern period. Understanding the historical context of this image requires consulting maps, civic records, and other visual sources. By doing so, we can begin to understand how images like this one shaped perceptions of cities and reinforced existing social hierarchies.