Kaart van Kennemerland en West-Friesland (negende deel) 1680

Editor: This is "Kaart van Kennemerland en West-Friesland (negende deel)" created in 1680 by Coenraet Decker. It’s a drawing, an etching, a print, rendered in ink on paper, currently at the Rijksmuseum. It's really interesting how geometric it is! How do you see this piece? Curator: This map, more than just a representation of land, speaks volumes about the Dutch Golden Age's ambition to control and organize their environment, using etching and ink. It presents not just a landscape, but a deliberate ordering of space that served both practical and ideological functions. Consider how materials played a key role: the paper's quality affects the map's longevity and dissemination, influencing who has access to this 'knowledge'. Editor: So, the material choice impacts its reach? Curator: Precisely. And etching, unlike painting, enables the easy reproduction of images. The printing enabled a standardized and widely distributable vision of Dutch land, reinforcing the power and vision of its elites. Look closely at how geometric shapes denote land divisions – those aren’t just fields; they signify ownership and cultivation as key resources in society. How are they produced? Who owns them? Who has access to them? Editor: It's amazing how much this tells about the labor behind shaping the Dutch landscape. Curator: Exactly! This map isn't just about geography. It tells about the labor and materials needed to achieve such organized agricultural design. Reflect on that level of production in a global and capitalistic context: what are some resources and economic impacts involved? Editor: I see that this piece displays organization in society, along with who had access and how the Dutch utilized production, down to their material choice. Curator: Yes, and understanding the map's materiality—the paper, ink, and etching process—allows us to see the role this image had within its society. A deep material examination, in this case, broadens into considering global capitalism, colonial ambition and historical context.