Illustratie voor 'Den Arbeid van Mars' van Allain Manesson Mallet 1672

Curator: Right, let’s dive in. We’re looking at an engraving from 1672. It’s an illustration by Romeyn de Hooghe for ‘Den Arbeid van Mars’ by Allain Manesson Mallet, housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. It feels so precise. Editor: That is a captivating first impression! My initial reaction is of stark contrast; above we see geometrical shapes that seem too pristine for the world below, which seems much more earthy, crowded, almost frantic with human activity. A landscape where calculation literally lords above everyone's head! Curator: Indeed. De Hooghe really brings together two very distinct styles here. We have a figurative scene in the lower half depicting, it seems, some military logistics happening on the ground and, in the top half, this geometric schema of defense or maybe fortification. Editor: And how beautifully rigid that geometric shape is, as if an otherworldly force, in all its precision and exactness, rules from above... but do we see it connecting to anything below? If you remove that diagram, we’re left with genre painting of lower-class military personnel! How would you describe their function or their connection? Curator: Well, considering this was purposed for a military treatise, the landscape and figuration actually work to underscore the application of strategic planning on terrain. If you look closely, it's all about illustrating theoretical principles. De Hooghe gives that theoretical layer tangibility, he literally marries knowledge and tangible things. Editor: I suppose there is this attempt at unifying theory and praxis, yes, this double visual coding... What does the work, in its historical context, tell us? What are we really seeing here in its totality? Curator: Here is where the fun really begins! I think this reveals how early moderns understood not only the natural, physical space, but also the mathematical models governing those spaces; an all encompassing vision which De Hooghe captures expertly. Editor: And he presents the total martial reality as one co-dependent structure, where theory informs human action! So beautifully didactic, yes, yet… what can we conclude of all this today, I wonder? Curator: Well, to me it shows how deeply ingrained certain strategies have become in our approach to knowledge and its application. This piece allows one to visually trace how far our world and vision of knowledge may, or may not, have come! Editor: Absolutely, indeed. A piece full of historical data but also food for contemporary reflection.