Plattegrond van Arras, 1726 1726

This is an anonymous plan of Arras, made in 1726. It details the city's layout through precise lines and geometric forms. The monochromatic rendering emphasizes structural elements, inviting us to consider the relationship between cartography and power. The composition is dominated by the star-shaped fortifications encircling the city. This geometric motif, repeated across the landscape, highlights the strategic importance of Arras, transforming the city into a fortress. The rigorous application of lines, shapes, and angles speaks to the influence of military engineering, where form strictly follows function. We see a semiotic system at play here, where visual components represent control and defense. These fortifications, rendered with such detail, challenge fixed notions of urban space, recasting the city as a site of conflict and territorial claim. Notice the artist's engagement with linear perspective. It is more than a method of representation. It’s a symbolic assertion of control, suggesting a desire to master and dominate space through visual means. This plan, therefore, is not merely a depiction but an ideological construct, revealing how form can embody broader cultural and philosophical ideas.