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.”

iPods aren’t just for music anymore

Elizabeth Harryman and Paul Lasley

We are happy to report that we have just commissioned the iPod art tour — an on board self-guided exploration that includes interviews with artists and photo images displayed on iPod screens — of Eurodam. Museum-quality works of art with cultural or historical significance are an integral part of the shipboard ambiance of Holland America Line ships, and Eurodam will be no different.

Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman, whose distinctive style brought us the innovative art tours across the fleet, have agreed to produce the audio tour for the new vessel. And, they will be providing us with snippets of their interviews with some of the artists and the architects for use on this blog. Look for the interviews in future postings.

Lasley and Harryman are award-winning journalists who have written extensively on cruising and art for publications around the world, including “The Art of Cruising: Fine Art and Antiques of Holland America Line.” Contributors to national television shows, the married journalists produce and host daily radio features for XM Satellite Radio, American Armed Forces Radio and OnTravel.com.

Sample Podcast
Here is a podcast art tour from Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman of art on the ms Amsterdam:

• A significant collection of maritime paintings and ship models can be found onboard ms Amsterdam, offering an insight into maritime history. You will discover two striking fabric murals by textile artist, Barbara Bruckman, Ming Dynasty figures from 17th-century China and a magnificent Astrolab clock in the atrium. Also, a beautiful inlaid marble table crafted by artisans in the town of Pietrasanta, Italy. Sports fans will be delighted by the display of signed baseballs including a ball signed by legendary Yankees outfielder Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio!
• Download this podcast (Duration: 46 minutes, 53 seconds)
• Preview (Duration: 27 seconds)

Dutch Master Re-Do

The Nightwatch and The New Nightwatch

VFD’s Frans Dingemans selected much of the art and antiques in Eurodam’s collection. For a theme, Dingemans chose the “The Dutch Golden Age — An Inexhaustible Tradition,” because works by the great Dutch painters of the 17th century have been repeatedly reinterpreted through the ages.

Works of Rembrandt van Rijn of Leiden have been especially popular subjects for reinterpretation. His largest and most famous painting is The Nightwatch, and 400 years after Rembrandt painted it, a group of young Dutch artists decided reinterpreted it in 2006.

For the project, called The New Nightwatch, they produced four versions of the work. On Eurodam, the version made by Aldert Mantje and Jan Maris, both living in Amsterdam, will be displayed.

At first sight their modern version (right) looks nearly identical to the original Nightwatch. The color scheme is the same and the details are painted in Rembrandt’s famous style. But take a closer look, and you can see subtle changes in the positions of the figures. This version is The Nightwatch, Two Minutes Later, where two minutes have lapsed since Rembrandt’s original version.

The painting’s main figure, Baning Cocq, has dropped his glove. He signals Ruytenberg on his right to send the company in another direction. The holder of the kruit reaches for Cocq’s glove. The red musketeer fills his musket. The blond girl gives the glass to the man with the guitar. Rembrandt himself steps out from the shadows of the gate behind the company. The dog exits the scene.

How many other changes do you see?