Beleg van Sluis, 1794 1834 - 1856

This is a print depicting the siege of Sluis in 1794 by Christiaan Andersen Spin, who was just two years old at the time. Clearly, it was made after the event, and Spin likely copied an earlier source image. What's fascinating about this image is the tension between its seemingly neutral function – to record the layout of the land – and the intense labor required to produce it. Every line was engraved into a copper plate with hand tools, a painstaking process. The image is not only a representation of a landscape, but an index of physical work. Consider the broader social implications: the production of this print, like many others, relied on a network of artisans and tradespeople, each with specialized skills. The engraver, the paper maker, the printer – all were cogs in the machine of early capitalism, transforming raw materials and skilled labor into commodities. The very act of mapping became a form of control, turning land into property and knowledge into power. This print thus invites us to consider the deep connections between art, labor, and the shaping of our world.