Antique Print of Cinnamon harvesting on Ceylon by Baldaeus (1672)

Description: Antique print, titled: 'Hoe men de Caneel schilt opt Eyland Ceylon.' - This rare original plate shows a group of farmers harvesting cinnamon on the island of Ceylon / Sri Lanka. Dutch text on verso. This original engraving originates from Baldaeus' 'Nauwkeurige beschrijving Malabar en Choromandel, derz. aangrenzend rijken, en het machtige eiland Ceylon.' (transl: Description of the East Indian Countries of Malabar, Coromandel, Ceylon, etc.), printed in Amsterdam by Jacob van Velsen and published by Johannes Janssonius van Waesbergen en Johannes van Someren.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Philip Baldaeus' after an anonymous artist. Philip Baldaeus (1632-1672). Father Philippus Baldaeus, Baelde or Philip Balde (October 1632, Delft 1672, Geervliet) was a Dutch minister. He went to Jaffna, Ceylon with an invading Dutch force during 17th Century. As the first European he documented the life, language and culture of Tamil people, living in the north of the island. It is a great historical record, similar to Mahawamsa, and it was immediately published in Dutch and German (with many beautiful plates). Some lates in this work signed G. Appelmans fe., being the engraver.