Plattegronden en gezichten op Pílos, Zarnata, Modon en Passava, ca. 1702 1702 - 1703

Curator: Up next, we have a fascinating print dating back to around 1702. It's titled "Plattegronden en gezichten op Pílos, Zarnata, Modon en Passava" – that’s "Plans and Views of Pylos, Zarnata, Modon, and Passava" – created by an anonymous artist. It combines cityscape views with geometric floor plans, all rendered in ink and engraving on paper. Editor: My initial impression is of contained worlds, each little square a portal into a past both meticulous and strangely dreamy. There's something deeply evocative in the contrast between the precise geometry of the maps and the somewhat romanticised city views. Curator: Exactly! That juxtaposition is key. The cityscapes capture the essence of these locations through perspective, showing their physical presence. The geometric plans, on the other hand, reduce them to strategic outlines—fortresses, boundaries. The print is steeped in symbolism; look how each town becomes a microcosm, reflecting power dynamics through the shape and structure of the settlement. Editor: Absolutely. And those names, almost like whispered spells! "Pílos," "Modon"—they carry echoes of maritime empires, sieges, and secrets whispered across the wine-dark sea. Each carefully etched line reinforces that sense of place. The visual language being used creates a powerful narrative, speaking of trade routes and military designs. Curator: Precisely. And there’s the 'Mer de Sapienza' – the Sea of Wisdom – playing a unifying role in these bustling port cities. Editor: Indeed. Wisdom in navigation, wisdom in defense, maybe even wisdom in conquest? Those sailing ships slicing across the waves really spark my imagination. This print captures the swagger of a seafaring age in those delicate, linear forms. To me, it represents an interesting snapshot into 18th-century European perceptions of faraway territories. Curator: It does, doesn’t it? Each rectangle really holds a particular energy. And yet they are also united in that single image on the page. Seeing those different views gives the whole thing more substance than it would have had it been, say, only one single location. Editor: I’m with you. It’s like a collection of strategic dreams and hard realities distilled in ink, urging you to embark on mental voyages and feel the old Mediterranean on your skin.