Kaart van Overijssel (deel rechtsboven) c. 1648 - 1743

Editor: This is an interesting find: a print called "Kaart van Overijssel," or "Map of Overijssel," dating back to sometime between 1648 and 1743. The cartography has a certain charm about it, though I'm wondering what it signifies or means. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, my dear, sometimes the greatest journeys are those we take without ever leaving our chairs, wouldn't you agree? This map, a fragment of Overijssel, whispers secrets of a world both known and imagined. Notice the fine lines, the delicate rendering of the landscape. The print style, old engraving to me, brings geometric and natural shapes inseparably together, reflecting an early and evolving science in that time. Can't you almost smell the earthy aroma of the ink, feel the weight of history pressed into the page? Do you sense the age? Editor: I do. And those ornamental flourishes around the title… what are those about? Curator: Ah, yes, those cartouches, as they’re called! Aren’t they delightfully dramatic? Think of them as little stages, prosceniums framing the very essence of Overijssel. They declare that maps aren’t simply functional, and remind you that they can be quite ornate declarations. Editor: It does make it a statement. So what should one take away from a piece like this? Curator: Perhaps, that every line, every contour, every meticulously placed village represents someone's home, their livelihood, their very world. How would they have reacted, I wonder, to seeing it enshrined as part of cartographic declaration? A map, really, is just a story told with lines and ink. And you? Editor: That's a beautiful thought, and reminds me of how much information we take for granted, when there once was wonder in the practice itself! Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. I hope this piece inspires everyone to wonder at the tales they have been told!