Nicolaes Visscher I. Map of Northeast with Early View of New York City. Ca. 1690 to 1729. A finely hand-colored example of Nicolaes Visscher I's illustrated map of the Northeast of America with an inset view of the village of New Amsterdam flanked by two Native American figures; a lion passant in red with a Latin inscription below, "Novi Belgii Novaeque Angliae Nec Non partis Virginiae Tabula multis in locis emendata . . .". Animals embellish the background of the map, including bears, deer, and beaver - and a view of the Indian village is included at the left. Size of image: 21.625" W x 18.25" H (54.9 cm x 46.4 cm) Size of frame: 26.3" W x 22.75" H (66.8 cm x 57.8 cm)

According to Barry Ruderman, "This is the first map containing the famous inset view of New Amsterdam, the third known engraved view of New York. Manhattan is correctly shown as an island and has its settlement at the southern end clearly marked. The publication of the map was motivated by the recent establishment of a Dutch Colony in the New World and Dutch aspirations to retain their New Netherland colony. As such, its advanced geography, based on the 1651 map of Jansson, was of paramount importance to the colony, which needed to make plainly known its vulnerability to English attack. British settlements and Indian villages are recorded, and vignettes illustrate fauna and Indian fortifications."

Ruderman continues, "Visscher's map of the Northeast is among the sought-after regional maps. In 1655, Visscher utilized Jansson's map, with its vignettes of animals and Indian life and added this now-famous view of New Amsterdam, showing the Battery and Dutch buildings on the waterfront. An extensive study of the map by Stokes suggests that the view was drawn sometime between 1653 and 1655, prior to the construction of New York's wall. The first edition of the map (1655-56) is extremely rare and known in only a handful of copies, one of which was used to illustrate the boundary dispute between William Penn and Lord Baltimore.

The map is also of great importance as the only reasonably obtainable example of the map during the first Dutch Colonization of the region, prior to their defeat by the English."

Provenance: private Evergreen, Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Denver, Colorado, USA, collection; acquired 1960 to 2000

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#163727

Map has not been examined outside the frame. Appears to have three vertical fold marks, expected toning, minor stains, and losses to peripheries but imagery, text, and coloration are quite strong. Wood frame and glass of framing are intact. Wired for suspension. Label for "The Old Print Shop" on verso. Stains and tears to gallery paper on verso that do not impact the map itself.