Rare c.1725 Dutch East India Company view of Fort Zeelandia from the library of William Constable (1721 - 1791) of Burton Constable Hall, Yorkshire. Fort de Zeelande ou de Taiovang. 23cm x 16.5cm. Excellent condition.

Rare view of Fort Zeelandia, which was a fortress built over ten years from 1624-1634 by the Dutch East India Company, in the town of Anping (Tainan) on the island of Formosa, present day Taiwan, during their 38-year rule over the western part of it. From the French re-issue of the account of early Dutch voyages first published in 1608 by Commelin. The French translation was carried out by Rene Augustin Constantin de Renneville, entitled Recueil des voiages qui ont servi a l'etablissement & aux progres de la Compagnie des Indes Orientales formee dans les Provinces-Unies des Pais-Bas, publisher Amsterdam, J.F Bernard, 1725.

William Constable was an avid 18th Century collector, gathering a range of objects from works of art to numismatics, and scientific instruments to natural history specimens. displayed in the museum rooms at Burton Constable Hall, along with his collection of scientific instruments. Although curiosity collections were not uncommon during the 18th century, the collection at Burton Constable is of significant importance as it is the only to survive in it's original country-house setting and many of the objects still retain their original 18th century labels.