Antique map of Java 1724 - 1726

Francois Valentijn

€ 3.950

Inter-Antiquariaat Mefferdt & De Jonge

• About the artwork
  LARGEST ANTIQUE MAP OF JAVA "Nieuwe en Zeer Naaukeurige Kaart van 't Eyland Java Major of Groot Java Verdeeld in Seven Byzondere Bestekken" [new and very accurate map of the island of Java Major or Great Java divided into seven distinct sections]. Copper engraving by François Valentijn, from "Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën", published in Amsterdam by Gerard Onder de Linden and Joannes van Braam, 1724–1726. Printed on seven joined sheets. Coloured by a later hand. Size: 45.8 × 174 cm. This extraordinary, nearly six-foot-long map is the most ambitious cartographic depiction of Java produced in the 18th century. Compiled and engraved with remarkable detail, it features the island’s settlements, rivers, roads, agricultural fields, and topography. Along the coastline, detailed nautical features such as depth soundings, anchorages, shoals, and navigational hazards reflect the map’s practical use for maritime navigation. At its heart is Batavia (modern-day Jakarta), the fortified hub of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), depicted in a rare miniature bird’s-eye plan—a visual symbol of its central role in the Dutch colonial network. The map vividly reflects Dutch influence on Java’s landscape and administration. Many place names are rendered in Dutch transliterations or are wholly Dutch in origin (e.g., Ryswyk, Iakatra, Groote Tanjong), superimposing colonial nomenclature onto indigenous geography. Surrounding Batavia are canal systems, rectangular agricultural fields, and structured settlements, which mirror Dutch land use practices and urban planning, adapted to tropical conditions. Numerous fortified VOC posts, marked with red bastions, speak to the Company’s militarized presence across the island. Dutch mapping conventions are also evident, including a Latin compass rose, Dutch mile scale, and a dense network of coastal soundings—attesting to the cartographer’s maritime priorities. François Valentijn (1666–1727), a VOC minister and historian, compiled this map as part of his monumental work "Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën" [Old and New East Indies], an encyclopedic account of Dutch exploration, trade, and administration in Asia. Valentijn made two voyages to the East Indies and served as a Calvinist minister in Ambon between 1686 and 1694. Through privileged access to the VOC’s confidential archives, he assembled an unprecedented collection of geographic and ethnographic data—though not always with scholarly integrity. While Valentijn’s maps were considered state-of-the-art in his day, his scholarship, judging by 21st century standards was unscrupulous. Valentyn’s use of the products of other scientists’ and writers’ intellectual labour and his passing it off as his own, reveals a penchant for self-aggrandisement. Nevertheless, this map stands as a landmark of early modern cartography. It captures the intersection of European scientific ambition, colonial authority, and the rich cultural landscape of Java. As both a visual and political artifact, it offers insight into how the Dutch envisioned, recorded, and governed one of their most prized colonial possessions. Price: Euro 3.950,-
• About the artist

  François Valentijn (Dordrecht, April 17, 1666 – The Hague, August 6, 1727) was a Dutch minister, historian, and chronicler of exceptional significance for the knowledge of Asia in the early eighteenth century. He was twice sent to "the East" in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), an experience that formed the basis for his monumental life's work, Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën (Old and New East Indies).

  After returning to the Netherlands, Valentijn devoted himself to compiling this extensive and unparalleled work, which has never been equaled in both its scope and level of detail. At a time when the VOC kept its information strictly confidential, he managed to amass a vast body of knowledge by utilizing all the oral and written sources he could obtain. His strength lay not only in his curiosity and tenacity, but also in his talent as a storyteller: Valentijn wrote vividly, precisely, and with a remarkably broad perspective.

  In Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën (Old and New East Indies), he explicitly glorified Dutch power and empire in Asia. Valentijn was a staunch nationalist and saw it as his overarching mission to describe Dutch power in the East and thus demonstrate that the Republic had not lost the fortitude of its Batavian ancestors. In the preface to his work, he emphasized his desire to make visible the progress and glory of the Netherlands throughout the centuries.

  This attitude earned him the reputation of a somewhat self-absorbed and vain historian. Yet, this criticism does little to detract from the enduring value of his work. It is precisely through his detailed descriptions that the interaction between Europeans and Asians becomes vividly visible: not only colonial power relations, but also cultural encounters, misunderstandings, and mutual influences are given a place in his narrative.

  François Valentijn thus remains a complex figure: simultaneously nationalist and chronicler, preacher and historian, vain writer and indispensable source. His work remains a key text for understanding the Dutch presence in Asia and the broader world history of the early modern period.

Are you interested in buying this artwork?