16th century Amsterdam
By: Unknown
Date: 1550 - 1600 (circa) Cologne
Dimensions: 9.25 x 12.5 inches (23.5 x 32 cm)
This splendid map of Amsterdam and its environs clearly borrows from the rare Italian edition of polymath Sebastian Münster’s version in his Cosmographiae Universalis. and from the woodcut map of the city by Cornelius Anthonisz, dated 1544.
Though Münster’s bird’s eye view plan of the city was later used for reference by Braun and Hogenberg’s in their map of the city published in 1572, their map of the city more closely resembles the map by Anthonisz.
Our offering most closely resembles the maps of Anthonisz and Braun and Hogenberg, differing primarily in the contents of the inset in the upper right and in the list of landmarks of the city just below the map. The B&H map uses a cartouche to contain a description of the city, placing their legend in the lower left corner. Our map features two legends, one in the upper right with reference numbers from 1 - 28, in Dutch. and the other in the lower left with names and numbers for 24 landmarks in both Dutch and Italian (text on verso is in Italian).
Archaeological excavations have revealed settlements in the area dating back at least as far as the Neolithic era, but Amsterdam’s modern name has to do with man’s attempt to control bodies of water in the region in more recent times. The oldest documentary evidence refers to the settlement of "Aemstelredamme" (Amsterdam) 'dam in the river Amstel' and comes from a document dated October 27, 1275 CE. The dam itself is depicted here.
Myriad seagoing vessels are depicted, and a large number of windmills are seen at the edge of the city and in the cultivated lands nearby. In the city center three cathedrals are denoted. An island or small area of the mainland in the lower right features a macabre scene of gallows with dead people hanging and with surrounding images suggesting that impaling was a form of punishment at the time.
The map provides an interesting and detailed view of a city often called the ‘Venice of the North’ due to its canal system. Amsterdam’s canals not only provide access to the city for merchants and tradesmen, but also connect the city to the mainland of both the Netherlands and Germany, facilitating its rapid rise as a mercantile and banking center by the early 17th century when in 1602, the Amsterdam office of the Dutch East India Company became the world's first stock exchange. Amsterdam today is a hub for shipping, logistics, and transport, home to more than half of all American and Asian-European distribution centers.
Condition: This map is in B+ condition. Minor separations, one in mid centerfold and others in margin. Paper slightly brittle with slightly darker toning at some edges. Worm hole in middle of top center margin.
Inventory #12869
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