Kaart van de Zeventien Provinciën c. 1702

Gerard Valck etched this map of the Seventeen Provinces, capturing a pivotal moment in European history and cultural identity. The gridlines and precise borders, symbols of human attempts to control and define space, overlay a land rich with historical weight. Consider how maps throughout history have served not just as guides, but as assertions of power. From the Roman "Tabula Peutingeriana" to modern satellite images, the act of mapping is an act of claiming. In Valck's map, the detailed rendering of cities and waterways speaks to the economic and strategic importance of this region, then a nexus of trade and conflict. Notice the inscription at the top, a testament to the region's complex political landscape. It’s a cartographic representation of a collective desire for order amidst the shifting sands of time. These symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.