A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Romeyn de Hooghe, combining a topographical map of Rotterdam with classical allegorical figures.

This print represents the lower right section of a larger map of Rotterdam, executed by the Dutch artist and engraver Romeyn de Hooghe. De Hooghe was a prolific figure in the late seventeenth century, known for his technical precision and his ability to combine topographical accuracy with allegorical ornamentation. The upper portion of the composition provides a bird's-eye view of the city, detailing the canal networks, harbour infrastructure, and dense urban planning characteristic of the period. The ships moored in the waterways indicate the commercial activity that defined Rotterdam as a maritime hub.

The lower portion of the print shifts from cartographic documentation to classical allegory. A female figure, likely representing the city or the personification of trade, is depicted riding a bull, a motif often associated with the myth of Europa or the prosperity of the Dutch Republic. She is surrounded by putti and marine elements, including a trident and various aquatic creatures. This juxtaposition of a functional city map with mythological figures was a common practice in Dutch cartography, intended to celebrate the wealth and status of the municipality. The etching demonstrates the artist's command of line, with fine hatching used to create depth in the water and texture in the figures. The composition balances the rigid geometry of the city streets with the fluid, organic forms of the allegorical scene below. This work provides a view into the visual culture of the Netherlands during the late seventeenth century, where scientific observation and classical tradition coexisted within the same frame. The print serves as a record of the urban layout of Rotterdam while simultaneously functioning as a decorative piece of art.