Rotterdam – Frederick de Wit, 1698

“Rotterdam”,copper engraving from the rare townbook by Frederick de Wit “Perfecte Aftekeningen der steden van de XVII Nederlandsche provincien in plattegronden” [perfect depictions of the cities of the seventeen Dutch provinces in plans], published in Amsterdam in 1698. coloured by a later hand. Size: approx. 42 x 54 cm.

In 1648, with the Peace of Münster, the Eighty Years’ War came to an end. The Dutch Republic was one of the most powerful states in Europe, prosperous, with a fleet that dominated the seas. Amsterdam was prominent, the center of global trade. In the southern part of the Republic, at the mouth of the Rhine and Meuse rivers, Rotterdam had developed into the Netherlands’ second trading and port city. In a way, Amsterdam and Rotterdam could be seen as competitors, but on the other hand, Rotterdam held a unique position in the Republic’s economy, serving more as a complement to Amsterdam’s trade and shipping. For Rotterdam, relationships with France and England were particularly important. This economic significance also increased Rotterdam’s standing relative to other Dutch cities. Naturally, this greatly boosted the self-confidence of the city’s administrators and the circles they emerged from; changes in the city’s appearance testify to this.

In the second half of the 17th century, Rotterdam was at the peak of its prosperity. However, wars with England and France undermined the position of the Dutch Republic; they ended Dutch dominance at sea and caused significant harm to shipping, trade, and industry. It’s clear that Rotterdam’s economy also suffered, but this did not stop the beautification of the city and its depiction on maps and cityscapes, which continued until the end of the seventeenth century.

An expert would notice that this map by Frederick de Wit strongly resembles the map from Joan Blaeu’s townbook from 1649. After a fire destroyed Blaeu’s publishing house in 1672, Frederick de Wit acquired some of the copper plates from Blaeu’s estate and published them under his own name. Blaeu had his map of the city made based on the city’s appearance around 1645, presenting a detailed and, in essentials, reliable topography. De Wit complemented the map with harbors and shipyards along the Meuse and expanded the legend.

Frederick de Wit (1630-1706) was an engraver and map seller born in Gouda. Through his marriage to Maria van der Waag in 1661, he gained citizenship rights in Amsterdam, where he had worked since 1648. He became one of the most famous mapmakers of the second half of the 17th century. Although he, as a Catholic, was certainly not favored, his name appeared on the city’s list of “good men” from 1694 to 1704.

Price: Euro 1.950,-