Plattegrond van Stuttgart c. 1643 - 1690

Editor: Here we have "Plattegrond van Stuttgart," a cityscape, an engraving made sometime between 1643 and 1690 by Matthäus Merian the Elder. It looks so precise, almost like a blueprint. How do you interpret this work beyond just a simple map? Curator: Well, let’s think about power and representation. This isn’t just a neutral depiction; it's a statement. Consider the time it was made. Early modern Europe was obsessed with order, control, and projecting power. Maps weren't just for navigation; they were instruments of asserting dominance, reflecting social hierarchies. Notice the placement and detail afforded to the fortress and the castle – what does that tell you? Editor: That those in power literally wanted to put themselves on the map? Curator: Precisely! This map emphasizes fortifications and administrative centres. How might that reflect anxieties and priorities of the ruling class in Stuttgart at the time? Maps were expensive. Who would commission and use them? This perspective flattens lived experience. Where are the ordinary people here? Where is the messiness of everyday life? Editor: So, it’s less about the reality of Stuttgart and more about how its rulers wanted it to be perceived, ordered and secure. Curator: Exactly. Think about visual language used here too. Baroque as a style favored grandeur and ornamentation. This applies not only to painting and sculpture but informs city planning and representations, which visually translated into urban environments, which shaped movement and interactions between social classes, influencing political discourse. We must consider these historical, cultural, and sociological perspectives that reveal the broader context. What have you learned from thinking critically about the map? Editor: I see how much the image hides even as it seems to reveal everything. It prompts me to question not just what is depicted, but who is doing the depicting, and for what purpose. Thanks for opening my eyes!