Plattegrond van Haguenau, ca. 1702 1702 - 1703

Curator: Ah, there's something captivating about these old maps. What strikes you about this "Plattegrond van Haguenau," made around 1702? Editor: Initially, it feels strangely intimate, like peering into someone's meticulously detailed dream city. But also somewhat unsettling, almost sterile. Curator: The drawing, created with pen and ink, and potentially an engraving too, is quite fascinating when considering the historical context of cartography. The emphasis would have been functionality, power... mapping territory for strategic advantage. Editor: Exactly! Thinking about it now, the "intimacy" I sensed feels almost voyeuristic. Like having forbidden access to war rooms, privy to defense strategies rendered in delicate linework. It's an odd mix. Curator: Absolutely, and you can see that in the way the city’s fortifications are rendered with precision. The line work is so meticulous, it really emphasizes human labor inherent to artistic representation, wouldn't you agree? Editor: It's all painstakingly handmade, before mechanization steamrolled its way in. You almost feel for the poor sod drafting those ramparts one by one. I bet that person had stories to tell. Curator: This "Plattegrond van Haguenau" allows us to consider labor of art alongside artistic production that served political functions and spatial comprehension. The act of creating such images reflects both practical skill and artistic knowledge production, after all. Editor: Yes. It's all intertwined in the making; it is beautiful and violent both. I now find it incredibly affecting in its precision. Curator: A lot more going on, materially and conceptually, than we may first perceive, right? Editor: Precisely, these glimpses behind artistry and power, make all the difference for me!