Dutch Art: Sea Maps of the 17th Century

Johannes Vingboons’ watercolors illustrated the exotic corners of the world.

The world of the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century is, says Frans Dingemans, “an inexhaustible source of inspiration.” Dingemans, of the design firm VFD, the long-time designer of Holland America Line’s ship interiors, says he finds the nautical maps made by artists to be especially intriguing.

One of the most famous of the master Dutch cartographers was Johannes Vingboons (1616-1670). Between 1640 and 1670 he and his assistants produced hundreds of beautiful watercolor maps and illustrations.

“His maps show us places from all over the world which the Dutch traders were in contact with,” says Dingemans. “In the 17th century, most of these maps were kept in secret by the VOC [Dutch East India Co.], because of the competition between the trading countries.”

From descriptions of seafarers and merchants who traveled on the Dutch ships, Vingboons made city elevations, plans, coastal profiles and sea charts. By combining these various images Vingboons could create an accurate representation of the exotic corners of the world then known to Dutch trade. For many of those regions, Vingboons’ paintings are our earliest images.

“Remarkable is the fact Johannes Vingboons didn’t leave his hometown Amsterdam for making these maps!” notes Dingemans. “He had various ways for gaining information, for example, contact with Dutch seaman.”

Dingemans says that beside the maps, Vingboons’ beautiful landscapes and cityscapes in warm watercolors tell us much about 17th-century architecture and way of life.

“We made a selection of the best and most interesting works for exhibition onboard Eurodam,” Dingemans said. “Special attention will be paid to the routes of the Dutch VOC ships around the world and the enormous amount of treasures and products they shipped from countries all over the world.”