De schipbrug van de hertog van Parma uit 1585: het onderstel van de brug 1645 - 1647

This print, made anonymously around 1585, depicts the Duke of Parma’s ship bridge. It's rendered with the graphic precision of an engineer's drawing, using ink on paper. The material itself, humble as it is, speaks volumes. This isn't a grand painting meant for a palace wall. It’s a functional document, a blueprint for a feat of military engineering. We see the bridge’s understructure, a dense lattice of timber. The print meticulously details the joints and supports, revealing the labour and skill required to construct such a temporary, yet vital, structure. Note the contrast between the rough-hewn wood and the precise lines of the print. The print reduces the materiality of the wood to an abstract element. It also acts as a powerful symbol of both human ingenuity and the relentless drive of military ambition in the early modern period. This print blurs the line between documentation, design, and a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict.