Drie profielen van de Hondsbossche Zeewering, 1792 1793

Cornelis van Baarsel created "Drie profielen van de Hondsbossche Zeewering" in 1792 using etching. This print presents three detailed, horizontal cross-sections depicting the Hondsbossche sea defenses. Notice how the composition is structured around precise lines and textual annotations that meticulously chart the height, depth, and construction of the sea wall. The structure of each profile is designed to convey quantitative data, yet the layering of lines and descriptive text results in a complex visual field. This technique of combining technical drawing with descriptive text mirrors the encyclopedic ambitions of the Enlightenment, where empirical observation was essential. The print invites us to consider how seemingly objective forms of representation are themselves constructs, shaped by particular ways of seeing and knowing. Consider how the visual organization and informational density challenge our reading of space and representation.