Geographie, Geometrie, Astrologie 1779

This is a print made by Gottlieb Friedrich Riedel in the 18th century. It is made of etching, a process involving biting lines into a metal plate with acid, which is then inked and printed onto paper. The imagery speaks to the material conditions of its production. The precise lines, achieved through careful control of the etching process, echo the instruments depicted: tools of geography, geometry, and astrology. These are instruments of measurement, and the print itself is a product of careful measurement and control. In the 1700s, scientific exploration was increasingly linked to colonial expansion and the development of global trade networks. So, the very act of creating this print – replicating and disseminating images of scientific instruments – was tied to wider social and economic forces. The print becomes more than just a picture; it's a document of a world in which knowledge and power were increasingly intertwined. Paying attention to these materials, techniques, and contexts allows us to understand its place in the world.