A detailed 1691 map section of Rotterdam by Romeyn de Hooghe, featuring precise urban cartography alongside classical allegorical figures.

This print represents the upper-right section of a large-scale map of Rotterdam, produced by the Dutch artist and engraver Romeyn de Hooghe in 1691. De Hooghe was a prolific figure in the late seventeenth century, known for his technical precision and his ability to integrate cartographic data with elaborate allegorical imagery.

The composition is divided between a rigorous, top-down view of the city streets and canals, and a decorative cartouche featuring mythological figures. The map portion displays the urban layout of Rotterdam with distinct blocks, waterways, and infrastructure, reflecting the city's expansion during the Dutch Golden Age. The lines are etched with clarity, allowing for the identification of individual building plots and the canal network that defined the city's commercial identity.

In the upper-right corner, the map transitions into an allegorical scene. A river god and a female figure, accompanied by a bull and putti, represent the prosperity and agricultural wealth of the region. This juxtaposition of scientific measurement and classical iconography was a common practice in seventeenth-century mapmaking, intended to elevate the status of the city being depicted. A compass rose, dated 1691, is positioned below these figures, providing the necessary navigational orientation for the viewer.

The work demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship associated with De Hooghe, who often collaborated with publishers to create detailed visual records of Dutch urban centres. The print provides a window into the planning and aesthetic values of the period, capturing both the physical reality of Rotterdam and the symbolic aspirations of its inhabitants. This specific section highlights the intersection of civic pride and the technical mastery of the engraver's burin.