Netherlands - Seven United Provinces (the Netherlands)...

Important and iconic original geographical map of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces (commonly referred to at the time by the general name Holland), engraved on copper in 1705 by Royal Geographer Nicolas de Fer (1646–1720). This sought-after double-page plate, numbered 16 in the upper-right corner, comes from the celebrated geographical work L'Atlas Curieux ou Le Monde représenté dans des cartes générales et particulières, published in Paris at the Royal Sphere (“Chez l'Auteur dans l'Isle du Palais a la Sphere Royale”). The map offers a splendid and clear geopolitical depiction of Dutch territory in the early eighteenth century. It precisely shows the inland basin of the Zuiderzee (Mer du Sud), the chain of Frisian Islands (including Texel and Vlieland), and the broad expanse of sea dominated by the North Sea (Ocean sous le nom de Mer d'Allemagne ou de Nord). The map extends south to include the coasts of Zeeland and Flanders, and westward to show part of the English coast near Dover. The example is beautifully enhanced by rich contemporary watercolor coloring of the territories, used to distinguish the Republic’s borders and provinces from those of neighboring nations. In the upper left is a monumental, asymmetrical Baroque cartouche, elegantly decorated with scrollwork and foliage motifs, containing the full descriptive title, notes on the author, and the royal privilege. In the upper right is a scientific panel with latitude and longitude references for Amsterdam and graphic scales in leagues. A collectible piece of exceptional documentary and decorative value, essential for admirers of antique Dutch cartography and the European history of the Grand Siècle. The map is sold with a text-only descriptive plate Dimensions: 26 x 41 cm Will be shipped by courier

Estimate:£167.13

View all items fromCatawikiorBooks, Maps & Manuscripts