Plattegrond van Tripoli, ca. 1693-1696 1693 - 1696

This is an engraving, a print made sometime between 1693 and 1696 by an anonymous artist. It gives us a bird’s eye view of Tripoli. The printmaking process begins with a metal plate, likely copper, into which lines are carefully incised. The incised lines would be filled with ink, and then pressed onto paper, leaving a permanent impression. The precision of the engraving technique lends itself well to the depiction of architectural details. Engravings like these had a dual existence, as works of art, and as instruments of power. This was long before photography or satellite imagery, and so accurate depictions of foreign lands were highly valuable, particularly for military purposes. The act of mapping a territory is, itself, an act of claiming it. Consider the immense labor involved, and the cultural agenda at play here. It wasn't merely about capturing a likeness, it was about asserting dominion through the very act of representation.