Figuren met vier zijden boven zeelieden bij hun schepen 1669

This undated print by Sébastien Leclerc I, now held at the Rijksmuseum, offers us a glimpse into the 17th-century world of maritime navigation and geometrical knowledge. Leclerc was the official draughtsman and engineer to Louis XIV, a position that situated him at the heart of French power and expansion. But look closer: above the image of sailors and ships are geometrical shapes, suggesting the intersection of practical seafaring and mathematical understanding. What does it mean to understand the world through geometry? The mastery of geometry in the 17th century wasn't just about navigation, it was also about power, control, and a certain way of seeing the world. These shapes represent an effort to quantify and command the seas, reflecting a growing belief in human reason to dominate nature. Consider the sailors below these shapes: they're not merely sailing; they're enacting a worldview. And perhaps they are also being subjected to it. Leclerc’s print invites us to consider the emotional and human dimensions of a world increasingly shaped by scientific ambition.