DESCRIPTION: Beautifully engraved antique title page to a volume of architectural drawings of the Amsterdam state house by artist Jacob Vennekool, after a sculpture by the Dutch sculptor Artus Quellinus. The town hall was built by Jacob van Campen during the period 1648-55. The building was itself an emblem of the great commercial successes of the Dutch, successes that were specifically celebrated in rich sculptural decorations.
This superb title page is adorned with putti playing trumpets and with symbols reflecting the importance of navigation and sea exploration to Amsterdam during the late 17th century: ships, anchor, cannon, and three backstaffs, as well as two nude figures representing New World native Americans. Less than 50 years earlier, in 1614, the Dutch founded a trading post in lower Manhattan, 'New Amsterdam', later New York.
This page was published by Frederick de Widt (de Wit) in Amsterdam ca. 1661. Wit, a printer, publisher, and map seller, is well known today for the atlases and charts he published from Amsterdam in the mid to late 17th century.
PUBLICATION DATE: 1661
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: Netherlands
BODY OF WATER: N/A
CONDITION: Very good.
Clean. No issues.
COLORING: None
ENGRAVER: Hubertus Quellinus
SIZE: 10
" x
15 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 50
PRICE: $475
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