Plattegrond van Leiden (deel rechtsonder) after 1675

Christiaan Hagen created this print titled "Plattegrond van Leiden" – a segment of Leiden’s map – around the late 17th century. The visual experience is dominated by meticulously drawn lines that articulate the city's layout, with a relatively uniform texture broken only by the subtle gradations of shading, creating depth and form. The use of orthogonal projection creates a flattened space where buildings, waterways, and fortifications are laid out in a precise, grid-like pattern. The map serves as a structured representation of space, employing a system of signs to denote urban elements. Hagen’s rendering also includes allegorical figures, perhaps nodding to classical ideals of order and knowledge, which serve as cultural markers that frame the city's identity. This map embodies a will to order and categorize the world, reflecting the scientific and philosophical underpinnings of the Enlightenment. It presents Leiden not just as a place, but as an idea – a structured, rational entity.