Views of the Netherlands & Belgium · 17th century
€ 190
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
for its age, with minor edge wear, light toning, and text show-through from the reverse. Tape repair in left border. Strong, detailed impression with visible plate mark.
This fascinating 1611 engraving originates from Johannes Isacius Pontanus’ Rerum et urbis Amstelodamensium historia (History of Amsterdam), a richly illustrated chronicle celebrating Amsterdam’s maritime and commercial expansion. The scene vividly portrays Javanese worshippers kneeling before an elaborate idol within a temple near Bantam (Banten), Java’s key trading port during the early Dutch voyages to the East Indies.
The image combines elements of ethnographic observation and European imagination. In the foreground, several figures bow deeply in reverence before a statue depicting a mythological creature—a horned deity with a serpentine body and beastly features. This representation likely reflects European attempts to interpret local Hindu-Buddhist or animist rituals encountered during the first Dutch expeditions. In the background, palm trees, hills, and a ceremonial platform with vessels and offerings evoke the tropical setting of the Javanese landscape.
Engravings such as this one were among the earliest European visual records of Southeast Asian religion and culture. Though stylized and often misunderstood by contemporary observers, these prints held immense fascination for 17th-century readers, feeding both curiosity and moral reflection about the “exotic” East. For Amsterdam audiences, such imagery symbolized the city’s new global connections and the encounters—both commercial and cultural—that defined its growing empire.
This engraving exemplifies the combination of historical reportage and artistic embellishment that characterizes Pontanus’ monumental work, printed in Amsterdam in 1611. It stands as an important early European image of Javanese ritual life, merging myth and reality in the visual language of early modern exploration.
Condition: Fair for its age, with minor edge wear, light toning, and text show-through from the reverse. Tape repair in left border. Strong, detailed impression with visible plate mark.
Framing tips: Best presented in a dark wood or ebonized frame with a soft cream or light beige mat to accentuate the print’s rich texture and early paper tone. Suitable for collectors of exploration history, ethnographic art, and early Dutch prints.
Technique: Engraving
Maker: Anonymous engraver after designs for Johannes Isacius Pontanus, Amsterdam, 1611
