Kaart van Overijssel 1640 - 1652

Editor: This is "Kaart van Overijssel," a map of the Overijssel province made sometime between 1640 and 1652 by an anonymous artist. It's an etching, which gives it this amazing detailed, almost scientific quality. What aspects of its materiality or creation processes strike you? Curator: The etching medium is paramount, isn't it? It speaks volumes about the economic and intellectual investment in mapping at that time. To create these maps wasn't simply an aesthetic exercise; the reproduction and distribution of geographic data had implications for trade, military strategy, and ultimately, social power. Editor: So the choice of etching, a repeatable medium, is crucial to understanding its impact? Curator: Precisely. It moves away from unique artistic creation and toward mass-produced information. And notice the decorative elements – the figure in the corner, the elaborate cartouche. These blend artistry with what we think of as a straightforward geographical document. It begs the question: what were the working conditions of those who were actually creating these lines, defining boundaries, etching them into existence? It was skilled labor, a form of cultural production in and of itself. The artist would have had a deep understanding of copper-plate engraving to make the details legible, in line with contemporary aesthetic practices. Editor: It’s interesting to consider it as a manufactured object that’s disseminating data. Curator: Absolutely. It forces us to reconsider what "art" even meant at that moment. What kind of workshops produced these prints? How did the economics of printmaking shape the final image? Editor: Thinking about the materials and the making process opens up a new way to understand what this map signified beyond just geography. Thanks. Curator: Indeed. Shifting focus from authorship and aesthetics to production helps uncover the cultural work this "Kaart van Overijssel" performed.