The Hague and envrions – J. Smulders & Co., ca. 1905

“Wielrijders- en Wandelkaart van ’s-Gravenhage en Omstreken ten N. tot Katwijk, ten Z. tot Hoek van Holland, ten W. tot de Noordzee, ten O. tot Hazerswoude”. [Cyclists’ and Walkers’ Map of The Hague and environs, extending North to Katwijk, South to Hoek van Holland, West to the North Sea, and East to Hazerswoude.] Chromolithograph made circa 1905 by J. Smulders & Co. Folding map, mounted on linen. Size: 55 × 73 cm.

Around 1900, leisure time increased and a new culture of outdoor recreation emerged. The region surrounding The Hague, with its combination of city, seaside (Scheveningen), dunes, and historic towns, was ideally suited for day excursions. At the same time, the area stood on the threshold of further urban expansion and infrastructural development, making this map a snapshot of the landscape prior to the large-scale suburbanisation of the twentieth century.

This functionally executed map belongs to a category of utilitarian maps that catered to the growing demand generated by recreational travel.

In 1844, J. Smulders opened a shop for office, drawing, and writing materials on the Spui in The Hague. Until then, Smulders had been a civil servant and learned the craft of lithography from Franciscus Heijse. He subsequently specialised in the production of topographical maps. The printing house J. Smulders & Co. remained active until 1975.

Price: Euro 575,-