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

Romeyn de Hooghe made this illustration for Allain Manesson Mallet’s book, ‘The Work of Mars,’ using the technique of etching. This printmaking process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, drawing through the coating to expose the metal, and then immersing the plate in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. The choice of etching is significant. Its relatively easy reproduction meant that detailed military strategies, like the design of this fortress, could be widely disseminated. Note the precision of the lines; the intricate geometry of the fortress and the postures of the figures on horseback. The material process of etching, with its capacity for detailed replication, mirrors the systematic approach to warfare and fortification that the book promotes. Ultimately, appreciating this print means acknowledging the close relationship between artistic technique, military strategy, and the broader social and political context of the 17th century. De Hooghe was not just an artist, but an agent in the distribution of power.