Kaart van Belle-Île-en-Mer 1638 - 16387

Curator: Hello, and welcome. Today, we’re looking at a Dutch Golden Age print titled “Kaart van Belle-Île-en-Mer." The cartography of this detailed map is rendered in ink on paper, showcasing Belle-Île-en-Mer sometime in the mid-17th century. Editor: My first thought? It's like holding history in my hands—a tangible, visual record of curiosity and conquest. I can almost feel the sway of the ships sailing into unknown harbours. Curator: Exactly! You notice the careful linework that defines the island’s rugged coastline and the charming depictions of ships and compass roses that adorn the seas. The use of colour, albeit limited, helps differentiate land from sea. These weren't merely geographical documents. They speak of expanding horizons. Editor: But, tell me, is that island supposed to look like a coiled serpent or am I just projecting? It kind of feels symbolic. And the palette! So restrained yet hinting at a wider emotional landscape...almost yearning. Curator: That's a beautiful way to put it! I mean you've got the geometric underpinnings but you've really intuited some extra-textual dimension from it, and I like that, a lot. Cartography certainly represents both power and control of a particular time and place. Editor: Control perhaps, yes, but there's vulnerability here, too, a fleeting nature to how these coastlines change and are interpreted. Each swirl represents stories not captured in geometry but lived on shores shaped over ages. I keep drifting away… Curator: Yes, there is the possibility of capturing more than meets the eye within these types of landscapes, of course. That ability to see multiple perspectives when staring into this work has offered more meaning in this work beyond pure formalism, perhaps. Thank you. Editor: Thank you.