Vestingplattegrond van Saintes 1638

Curator: Here we have an intriguing find: a vestingplattegrond, or fortified map, of Saintes, dating back to 1638. It's rendered in ink on paper and presented as a print. Quite fascinating! Editor: Wow, what strikes me is the rather peculiar, dreamlike quality. The city is this solid pink mass—it’s as if the mapmaker was depicting the city's palpable essence. There's this almost unreal beauty about it, set against the stark page of the book itself. Curator: It certainly has an immediate visual appeal. Looking closely, the cartography shows a clear effort to balance precision with aesthetic concerns. The walls and bastions are detailed, though slightly stylized, hinting at Baroque influences. The formal organization really grabs you, wouldn't you say? Editor: Absolutely! It's structured with this sense of a theatrical set piece. It uses perspective to enhance spatial illusion. But the overall mood is so...still. Maybe a bit melancholy? As if the map isn't just showing Saintes but some lost world. I'd say, even though it is in flat view, it evokes the memory of an emotion. Curator: The choice of the city in solid pink is rather clever when you think of it as both practical and symbolic. Fortifications evoke control and territorial integrity, while that shade adds an artistic touch that elevates it beyond simple representation. I also noticed, it includes a signature flourish— a decorative flourish that reminds you the artist felt free to employ subjective artistry! Editor: You’re so right. And to think, what tales these ink lines could whisper of Saintes through those dramatic and conflict filled times. You can imagine all kinds of conflict arising or not. Curator: Exactly. From the structure, symbolism, and materials employed in creating it, this map offers insight into the mindsets of 17th century Europe! Editor: I see this and now I wonder if every street could be poetry and that we could actually map dreams. That is cool.