Beleg van Maastricht, 1632 (plaat 1) 1633

Claes Jansz. Visscher created this print of the siege of Maastricht in 1632. Look closely and you’ll notice how the composition is structured around a bird's-eye view, offering an almost abstract rendering of the landscape below. The meticulous detail of the lines creates a rich tapestry of shapes, from the geometric precision of the fortifications to the organic sprawl of the city itself. The river acts as a sinuous spine, dividing and connecting the elements of the scene. What's fascinating is how Visscher uses perspective, not just to represent space, but to flatten it, turning the siege into a kind of symbolic tableau. The interplay between the dense, detailed areas and the open spaces invites us to contemplate the relationship between order and chaos, strategy and chance. It's a visual language that speaks of power, knowledge, and the drama of human conflict.