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

Editor: This is a print entitled "Illustration for 'Den Arbeid van Mars' by Allain Manesson Mallet," created in 1672 by Romeyn de Hooghe. It's currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. At first glance, it looks like a meticulously detailed map of a fortified city. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: It is a fascinating confluence of cartography and symbolic representation, speaking volumes about 17th-century anxieties and aspirations. Note how the city of Hesdin is rendered almost as a geometric emblem of power, that star shape suggestive of fortification but also reminiscent of astrological diagrams. What might that star shape evoke in terms of cultural memory? Editor: Maybe a sense of order, control…like imposing human will upon the land? Curator: Precisely! And consider its presence in a book dedicated to the "Work of Mars," or Warfare. This seemingly simple city plan transcends mere geographic data. The engraving uses this sharp, rational depiction to communicate something deeper about the relationship between humanity, landscape, and conflict. Notice the sharp lines, so confident in their demarcation of territory. Where do we still see such rigid boundaries enacted in society? Editor: In borders, definitely. In the way we divide up cities and countries. This image feels very relevant, actually. It’s making me think about the psychology of drawing lines. Curator: And what they can represent for better or worse. How images and symbols have maintained their impact through the ages. I see how that symbolic landscape reflects deeply held anxieties about territory, identity, and the ever-present potential for conflict, echoing across the centuries. Editor: That's amazing; I never thought of a map carrying so much emotional and symbolic weight. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise.