Bilder Nicolaas Witsen (1641–1717) – View of the Capital of Dauria and Siberian Customs – Engraving (1692)

Beskrivning

"Nertzinskoi Ville Capitale de Daurie" presents a panoramic view of the Siberian settlement of Nerchinsk situated along a winding river with hills in the background and camels grazing in the foreground. Two additional scenes below the main view illustrate the cultural practices of the region, showing a mounted archer near a dwelling and a group of figures processing livestock within a fortified enclosure. This engraving is from the work Noord en Oost Tartarye, published in Amsterdam in 1692, which provided the first detailed geographical and ethnographic account of Northern and Eastern Asia for a European audience.

Nicolaas Witsen was a prominent Dutch statesman, cartographer, and mayor of Amsterdam who served as a director of the Dutch East India Company. He utilized his extensive diplomatic and commercial network to collect primary observations from travelers and ambassadors to map the interior of Russia and Central Asia. His research resulted in the most accurate seventeenth-century descriptions of the Siberian territories and their diverse inhabitants. Witsen remains a significant figure in the history of geography for bridging the gap between European knowledge and the remote regions of the East.

Artist or Maker: Nicolaas Witsen.

Dimensions: Approximately 40 cm x 35 cm.

Medium: Engraving.

Date: 1692.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.