Antique map of Kennemerland 1740

Nicolaes Visscher

Paper
47 ⨯ 58 cm
€ 1.750

Inter-Antiquariaat Mefferdt & De Jonge

• About the artwork
  KENNEMERLAND, WHERE WEALTHY 18TH-CENTURY AMSTERDAMMERS CAME TO RETREAT “Nieuwe kaart van t’ baljuwschap van Kennemerland met de bannen van Westsaanen, Assendelft, Heemskerck, Wyk aan Duyn, Velsen, Spaarwoude, etc. [New map of the bailiwick of Kennemerland with the districts of Westsaanen, Assendelft, Heemskerck, Wyk aan Duyn, Velsen, Spaarwoude], "drawn and published with great accuracy by the widow of Nicolaas Visscher.” Copper engraving, in this case reissued by Pieter Schenk around 1740. Original hand colouring with later additions. Plate size: 47.8 x 58 cm. The map depicts a section of Kennemerland, stretching from the Bakkum–Limmen–Akersloot line in the north to the Haarlemmerhout–Lutkemeer line in the south, with the North Sea to the west and the Wormer–Zaandam–Slotermeer (Middelveldts Polder) line to the east. The various districts (bannen) of the bailiwick are individually coloured. In the 18th century, the Kennemerland bailiwick became a favoured retreat for affluent citizens of Amsterdam, many of whom established country estates in the area. The roots of this trend go back to the 17th century, when wealthy merchants regarded the region’s agricultural farms as safer financial investments than the volatile shipping industry or overseas ventures. With the construction of the Haarlemmertrekvaart canal in 1632, the area became significantly more accessible from Amsterdam. In the later 17th century, several farms were transformed into country houses with lavish gardens, serving as summer residences. Sometimes, castles were repurposed into estates (such as Assumburg Castle), or new retreats were built directly in the polder. Views over water and meadows were often a deciding factor in choosing the location, which is why many estates were founded along rivers and the Wijkermeer. During the 18th century, the number and scale of these country estates increased substantially. After the construction of the road along the Haarlemmertrekvaart in 1770, access to the region improved further, and Kennemerland developed into a recreational area for the urban elite. In the upper left corner of the map, Elisabeth Verseyl, widow of Nicolaas Visscher II, dedicates the map to “the highly esteemed, sharp-minded, and vigilant Johannes van de Poll, regent of the city of Amsterdam.” Price: Euro 1.750,-
• About the artist

  Nicolaes was the only son of Claes Jansz. Fisher. He is also known by the names: Nicolaas or Claes Claesz. After years of working for his father in the business, he succeeded him after his death in 1652. In 1662 he was admitted to the Amsterdam booksellers' guild and in 1677 Nicolaes, by now a respected publisher, received a 15-year patent from the states of Holland and West Friesland for the printing and publishing of maps. He died two years later and was buried in the same chapel as his father.

  Atlas editions of Nicolaes I included:

  "Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum" from 1657.
  “Germania Inferior” from 1663.
  “Atlas Minor” from 1675.
  Visscher's atlases were often compiled according to the wishes of the buyers (the so-called Atlas Contractus). They generally contain no text, only sometimes a printed index. Cards from other makers were used, self-engraved and worked copper plates from his father.

  One of the highlights of seventeenth-century cartography is the multi-page wall map. An example of this - from 1656 - is the map of Zeeland: “Zelandiae Comitatus novissima Tabula”. This consisted of nine sheets that together had a size of 140 x 160 cm. By adding cityscapes, the map could be enlarged even further. These cityscapes were in turn published around 1668 under the name: “Speculum Zelandiae”.

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