The Netherlands

Birds-eye view of Blokzijl and it's fortifications from Joan Blaeu's town book of the Netherlands, first published one year after the peace of Munster and the Spanish acknowledgement of the Dutch Republic. Blaeu planned his town book towards the end of the battle with Spain to consist of two volumes; one showing the towns of the Republic, the other showing towns belonging to Spain. In the second edition, due to a large scale re-conquest of land by the Republic, Blaeu had to transfer several towns to the volume showing towns of the Republic and as a consequence this volume became larger than the other; thus the composition of the atlas became linked to the struggle for independence of the Republic. The depicted fortifications and many Dutch flags are a reference to this struggle. Around the town part of the newly drained polders that, in a large extend, financed the Dutch revolt with their agriculture is depicted.

Double-page, engraved, hand-coloured map, Latin text on verso; Dimensions: 405 x 500mm. (16 x 19.75 inches).

Koeman, Atlantes Neerlandici B1 64.