Plattegrond van Burcht Rheinfels en Sankt Goar 1705 - 1728

Editor: So, here we have an interesting find: “Plattegrond van Burcht Rheinfels en Sankt Goar,” created sometime between 1705 and 1728, author is anonymous. It's an engraving on paper, showcasing a detailed plan. The whole thing feels very… precise, almost cold. What jumps out at you when you look at it? Curator: Cold, eh? Well, I can see that. These maps weren’t exactly intended to evoke warm fuzzies. What I see is power – architectural and political power rendered meticulously in ink. Look at how the Rhine cleaves through the landscape, with those fortresses looming on either side, almost like chess pieces on nature’s game board. It’s about control, about visualizing dominion in the baroque era. Does it change how you see it? Editor: A bit! The precision makes sense now, it's a tool. But how much of the real landscape is actually reflected here? Surely the artist takes some liberties? Curator: Absolutely. A mapmaker isn't a camera. It’s always a constructed reality, prioritizing key military positions. The textures and lines are more about communicating military advantage rather than depicting the true softness and undulations of the terrain, don’t you think? They’ve flattened, shaped nature to project something else entirely! What is nature like at that stage? And are we looking at nature at all? Editor: That makes so much sense! It really transforms the feel of the piece, from a simple plan to this statement of calculated… well, almost conquest, or, definitely control. Curator: Exactly! See, that precision is loaded with intent. It’s less about geography and more about ambition etched onto paper. Now, tell me, isn't that more fascinating than just a cold rendering?