Kaart van het aartsbisdom Mechelen 1644 - 1655

Editor: We're looking at "Kaart van het aartsbisdom Mechelen," or "Map of the Archdiocese of Mechelen," an engraving done sometime between 1644 and 1655 by Richard Collin, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as incredibly detailed and intricate. I'm fascinated by the density of the lines and the amount of information conveyed. What do you see in this piece that stands out from a formalist perspective? Curator: Immediately, the compositional balance commands attention. Consider how the upper register of portraits, cartouches, and text panels counterbalances the lower register's figurative groupings. It's a strategic distribution of visual weight. Note, too, the linear quality inherent in the engraving technique. How does Collin's precise mark-making shape your understanding of the territory depicted? Editor: I hadn’t really thought about the balance in that way, but now that you mention it, it makes the whole piece feel very considered. And yes, those fine lines do create an almost ethereal texture across the landscape. Is that just inherent in the print medium or something more deliberate? Curator: The linearity emphasizes structure—the defined borders of the region, the intricate networks of waterways, and the ordered arrangement of settlements. Reflect upon how this ordered structure is not merely representational, but becomes a defining formal characteristic of the entire artwork. Editor: So the formal elements emphasize a specific perspective. The map then isn’t just informative, but maybe even pushing a certain controlled, structured worldview? I never would have picked up on those compositional elements on my own. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Indeed. And that is what we should seek when we evaluate art through pure form. It is more than medium and material: it is the arrangement of those elements within the boundaries set by the artist that give the work its deeper meaning.