Plattegrond van Moskou, 1726 1726

This is a 1726 map of Moscow created by an anonymous artist, now held at the Rijksmuseum. The image presents Moscow as a fortified city, encircled by walls and waterways, reflecting a time of strategic urban planning. The city's layout, with its concentric circles and radial streets, echoes ancient cosmologies, reminiscent of mandalas that symbolize the universe's structure and humanity’s place within it. Notice the inclusion of figures dressed in period attire. The figures at the bottom of the image and next to the title are symbols of power and cultural identity, evoking a sense of historical narrative. We see how rulers in different times have used their image to convey a sense of authority, like the statues of Roman emperors that served as symbols of imperial power. The map acts as a powerful force engaging viewers, connecting them to Moscow's past, and to its present. It shows us how symbols resurface and evolve through different eras, constantly being reinterpreted.