North America · 20th century
€ 940
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good original condition; clean black ink on cream paper. Light creases and small foxing spots visible in margins, consistent with age and original use. Strong impression with excellent tonal contrast.
Original Illustration Map of Alaska by Charles Burki, ca. 1945 – Ink Drawing
Original pen-and-ink illustration of Alaska by Dutch artist Charles Burki (1909–1994), executed around 1945. This superb map design combines Burki’s masterful linework with lively geographic and cultural detail, reflecting his fascination with exploration and visual storytelling during the mid-20th century.
The map shows Alaska in rich graphic detail, featuring the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Arctic Circle, as well as settlements such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Cordova, and Nome. Burki’s illustrative embellishments include regional wildlife—a bear, moose, fox, and whale—alongside forested tundra landscapes and natural resource icons for gold, copper, uranium, silver, and coal. At the bottom, a striking vignette of a man paddling a canoe across calm waters anchors the composition, the word “ALASKA” beautifully lettered beneath in ornamental script.
The text block at lower center, written in Dutch, lists the territory’s size, population, and key products: “Bont, Zalm, Naaldhout, Koper, Goud, Uranium, Zilver, IJzer, Steenkool.” Burki’s strong yet elegant draftsmanship—seen in the precise cross-hatching, stippling, and balanced use of white space—confirms his architectural training and mature illustrative skill. This was likely produced for an atlas or educational publication by a Dutch publisher such as Uitgeverij Succes or Het Spectrum.
A rare and visually compelling example of Burki’s postwar map illustrations, blending scientific precision with artistic expression.
Biographical Note:
Charles Burki (1909–1994) was a Dutch painter and illustrator whose career bridged the colonial and post-war eras. Trained in architectural drafting, he moved to the Dutch East Indies in the 1930s and became known for posters and illustrations for local periodicals. During World War II he was imprisoned as a POW; during transport to Japan his ship was bombed and sunk. He survived ten hours at sea, endured imprisonment, and lived through the atomic bombing in Japan at 1,500 meters from impact—an ordeal that profoundly shaped his later art.
After the war Burki returned to the Netherlands, where he became one of the country’s leading illustrators, creating dynamic cover art and maps for Uitgeverij Succes, De Bezige Bij, Het Spectrum, and Kluitman. His precise draughtsmanship, cinematic realism, and restrained palette reflect both technical mastery and lived experience. Today his original gouache and ink boards are prized as rare examples of mid-century Dutch illustration and narrative art.
Condition report:
Good original condition; clean black ink on cream paper. Light creases and small foxing spots visible in margins, consistent with age and original use. Strong impression with excellent tonal contrast.
Framing tips:
Best displayed in a black, walnut, or dark oak frame with a soft ivory mat. A floating mount presentation emphasizes the border and hand-drawn details.
Technique: Pen and ink on paper
Maker: Charles Burki, The Netherlands, ca. 1945
