Antique Print of the King of Bali by Houtman, 1646

About the Item

Antique print titled 'Afteeckeninghe van de Koningh te Bali sittende op sijn Waghen'. Depiction of the King of Bali sitting in his coach. This is an extremely rare print / copperplate engraving from: 'De eerste Schipvaerd der Hollandsche Natie naer Oost-Indien.... (The first sea voyage of the Dutch nation to the East-Indies ...), which was part of the monumental work by Isaac Commelin (1598-1676) on VOC voyages: 'Begin ende voortgangh van de Vereenighde Nederlantsche Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Companie....', published by Joannes Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1646. The First Dutch Expedition to Indonesia was an expedition that took place from 1595 to 1597. It was instrumental in the opening up of the Indonesian spice trade to the merchants that eventually formed the Dutch East India Company, and marked the end of the Portuguese Empire's dominance in the region. Although the expedition did not bring back as much as expected - 245 bags of pepper, 45 tons of nutmeg, and 30 bales of mace - spice prices had become so inflated that the expedition was still profitable. All in all, the voyage suffered from bad leadership, but was still instrumental in opening up the East Indies to the Dutch Artists and Engravers: During this voyage Cornelis de Houtman (1565-1599) emerged as the leader of the expedition. He was the brother of Frederick de Houtman, a Dutch explorer who discovered a new sea route from Europe to Indonesia and managed to begin the Dutch spice trade. Condition: Good. General age related toning and foxing, some creasing and minor soiling. Minor damp staining lower margin not affecting image. Please study image carefully. Date: 1646 Overall size: 24.5 x 19 cm. Image size: 21 x 14 cm. Whilst cartography holds a special place in our collection, we also offer thousands of antique prints covering fields of interest as diverse as architecture, natural history, religion, ethnology and many more. Antique prints have long been appreciated for both their aesthetic and investment value. They were the product of engraved, etched or lithographed plates. These plates were handmade out of wood or metal, which required an incredible level of skill, patience and craftsmanship. Whether you have a house with Victorian furniture or more contemporary decor an old engraving can enhance your living space. We offer a wide range of authentic antique prints for any budget.

Dimensions:

Height: 7.68 in (19.5 cm)Width: 9.65 in (24.5 cm)Depth: 0 in (0.01 mm)

Materials and Techniques:

Paper

Period:

17th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1646

Condition:

Seller Location:

Langweer, NL

Reference Number: