Plattegrond van Rotterdam, bestaande uit vier delen - Romeyn de Hooghe

A detailed 1694 four-part map of Rotterdam by Romeyn de Hooghe, featuring precise urban topography and elaborate allegorical figures.

This four-part map of Rotterdam, produced by the Dutch artist and engraver Romeyn de Hooghe in 1694, provides a detailed aerial perspective of the city during the late seventeenth century. De Hooghe was a prolific printmaker, known for his technical precision and his ability to combine topographical accuracy with elaborate allegorical ornamentation. The map captures the urban layout of Rotterdam, including its canal networks, harbour infrastructure, and dense residential blocks.

The composition is divided into four distinct plates, which, when joined, reveal the city's expansion and its maritime character. Beyond the cartographic data, the margins are populated with mythological figures and symbols of commerce. These figures, including representations of Neptune and various personifications of trade, reflect the city's status as a major port and its economic ties to global markets. The inclusion of these decorative elements is characteristic of the period, where maps served as both functional navigational tools and displays of civic pride.

The etching technique allows for fine detail, particularly in the rendering of the ships in the harbour and the individual buildings. The perspective is slightly tilted, a common convention in seventeenth-century city plans, which allows the viewer to observe both the street patterns and the verticality of the architecture. This work remains a primary source for historians studying the urban development of Rotterdam before the industrial transformations of later centuries. The clarity of the lines and the balance between the map and the surrounding allegorical scenes demonstrate the high level of craftsmanship associated with De Hooghe's workshop. This print offers a view into the visual culture of the Dutch Republic, where the mastery of printmaking was used to document the physical and symbolic growth of the nation's cities.