Plattegronden van Metz, Phalsbourg, Toul en Nancy, 1726 1726

Editor: Here we have “Plattegronden van Metz, Phalsbourg, Toul en Nancy”, city maps rendered in ink on paper dating back to 1726. They're at the Rijksmuseum now and the cartographer is anonymous. It's striking how each city is presented, almost like a strategic board game. What leaps out at you when you see this piece? Curator: Ah, these aren’t just maps; they’re dreams of control, anxieties etched onto paper. Notice the star-shaped fortifications around Phalsbourg and Nancy? Those weren't just for defense, darling; they were statements. Loud whispers of power saying "Try and get past *this*, honey!" Think about it: each line, each meticulously rendered building, is an assertion against chaos. It's the Baroque impulse – to contain, to categorize, to know… perhaps a bit *too* much? I feel a touch suffocated, almost. Do you sense that, too? Editor: I do now! It’s less a guide for travellers and more a display of dominance. So the baroque style isn't just about the frills, it's about projecting strength and order? Curator: Exactly! It’s a performance, wouldn’t you say? The cities almost seem caged, corseted within their own defenses. This piece doesn't just depict cities; it whispers about a time when urban planning was an act of war. It makes me wonder: what anxieties are we projecting onto our maps today? Food for thought, right? Editor: Absolutely! It’s shifted how I view historical maps. It's like peeking into the minds of people obsessed with control. Curator: Isn’t it grand when a picture opens a window, lets the unexpected wind blow through your hair? Makes you wonder what other ‘maps’ we carry inside, doesn’t it?