Illustrate/Interpret
Visual representation is a powerful narrative tool. Illustrations in travel journals like Martens' do more than merely depict; they interpret and shape perception. They create visual metaphors that reinforce colonial imaginations of space as something to be conquered, measured, and understood through a European lens. The aesthetic choices – the color palette, the framing, the details emphasized or omitted – contribute to a romanticized view that transforms harsh landscapes into sites of potential European intervention and exploitation.
Visual representation is a powerful narrative tool. Illustrations in travel journals like Martens' do more than merely depict; they interpret and shape perception. They create visual metaphors that reinforce colonial imaginations of space as something to be conquered, measured, and understood through a European lens. The aesthetic choices – the color palette, the framing, the details emphasized or omitted – contribute to a romanticized view that transforms harsh landscapes into sites of potential European intervention and exploitation.