Ingang van een haven of een rivier Possibly 1677 - 1696

This anonymous etching depicts the entrance to a river or harbor. It’s an interesting example of the convergence of art and social engineering. The image shows a harbor, likely in Italy, and the infrastructure that supports it. The text describes how the ruined port of Pesaro was remediated over the course of several months. What we see here, then, is an artist rendering a record of social and economic investment. Ports, in the early modern period, were crucial to urban and national economies. Given the expense of building and maintaining these harbors, there was a need to advertise their progress to the public. This image is as much about the institution of the port as it is about the place itself. To better understand the social conditions surrounding this image, we might consult municipal archives, records of shipping activity, and publications that treat of engineering during this period.