South Holland – Pieter Schenk, c. 1720

DELFLAND, SCHIELAND AND THE SOUTH-HOLLAND ISLANDS

“Delflandia, Schielandia, et circumjacentes Insulae ut Voorna, Overflackeae, Goereae, Yselmonda et aliae.” Copper engraving first issued by Nicolaes Visscher ca. 1680; here in a reissue by Pieter Schenk, ca. 1720. Original hand-colouring with later additions. Size 46.5 × 56.5 cm.

In this region of Holland the water boards (in Dutch: “hoogheemraadschappen”) of Delfland and Schieland were responsible for water management and the upkeep of river and sea dikes. To perform those tasks effectively they relied on detailed overview maps. The compiler of the present chart made use of older yet highly reliable material—above all the 1615 survey and large wall map produced by Balthazar Florisz van Berckenrode.

The battle scenes off the South-Holland and Zeeland coasts most likely refer to the naval campaign of 1672-1673 during the Third Anglo-Dutch / Franco-Dutch War. Under the command of Michiel de Ruyter the Dutch fleet repelled the combined Anglo-French navy, a victory commemorated here. What contemporaries did not yet realise was that the prolonged wars had exhausted the Dutch Republic financially and signalled the approaching end of the Dutch Golden Age.

The map is dedicated to Jacob van Dussen (1631–1701), burgomaster of Gouda, delegate to the Admiralty Council and commissioner of the Dutch East India Company (Amsterdam Chamber). Lauded as a “most worthy patron of the liberal arts,” Van Dussen is said to have shown “particular goodwill” towards Nicolaes Visscher – he likely helped finance the publication, which is why his family coat of arms is so prominently displayed on the map.

Price: Euro 650,-