Kaart van Piëmont 1682

Editor: Here we have "Kaart van Piëmont," or "Map of Piedmont," a print made with ink on paper by Johannes de Broen in 1682. It's quite ornate, wouldn't you say? All those cherubs and heraldic symbols really draw the eye. What strikes you about it? Curator: What interests me most is how the creation of this map served a material function. This wasn't just about accurately charting territory; it was a projection of power, designed to communicate claims, control, and the labor involved in surveying and production. Who controlled the means to produce and disseminate this information? Editor: So, the very act of mapping is a display of power? The publisher… was trying to say something about who 'owned' this region, even visually? Curator: Precisely. Consider the printing process itself. Copperplate engraving required skilled labor. The quality of paper and ink spoke to the economic resources behind the project. Who could afford such a map? What would they use it for? Were there earlier less complex forms of the mapping of this region and what were their purposes? Editor: It really does seem like a blend of art and… well, propaganda. But that’s interesting – to think about how the very materials communicate something. It’s not just *what* is drawn, but how it was made, and *who* had the power to make it that's important. Curator: And think about distribution and consumption. Was it for military planning? For wealthy landowners? Tracing the lifecycle of this map reveals insights into 17th-century European society, economy, and the technology of control. Editor: That’s fascinating. I will never look at old maps the same way again! Focusing on the materials and the method reveals a whole new context.