Delft in 1678 - Kaart Figuratief

Artist: 
after Joan Blaeu

1678

The Kaart Figuratief was paid for by the city of Delft and made by a team supervised by Dirck Everts van Bleyswijck. It was first printed from (still available) copper plates in 1678 and distributed throughout the Netherlands and the world by the city, trying to promote itself after the disaster year of 1672.

It prominently features the city's gateway to the world, Delfshaven, and an array of impressive public buildings. It was often re-published and adapted and the side views were used in the second edition of Bleyswijck's Beschryvinge der Stadt Delft as well as the expanded version by Boitet in 1729.

Among others, Johannes Verkolje drew the church buildings and the broad view of the city across the top. Jacob Spoors, surveyor, led the group that provided measurements to update and correct Blaeu's map. Johannes de Ram did the actual engraving of the map itself.

Learn more about the buildings in the side views at Essential Vermeer's Dirck Van Bleyswyck's Kaart Figuratief.

A grey-scale print of the first edition of this map is in the Delft city archives.

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