Page 22 - Christie's London China Trade Paintings Kelton Collection

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DUTCH SCHOOL, FIRST HALF OF THE 18TH CENTURY
A Dutch Chart of the Gulf of Tongkin and the South China Sea, including the Coastlines of Southern China, and the
Islands of Hainan, Formosa [Taiwan], Luzon [Philippines], and Batavia, Java
single sheet, verso blank, coastlines heightened in green, province names and major towns in sepia, major islands in red, numerous
rhumblines based on a central compass rose, two inset detailed plans of the Pearl River to Canton, and an anchorage on the North
Vietnam coast near Apelle island, three scale bars (two within each inset), important forts, beacons, batteries and fag stations
depicted by symbols, numerous symbols representing clifs, navigational obstructions and sandbars, central latitudinal graticule and
tropic of Cancer ruled in red, inscribed ‘1759 / Verbeterde, Raast van / de Pracelles tot Canton’ on the reverse
pen, sepia, black and red inks and watercolour on paper
31æ x 41Ωin. (80.6 x 105.3cm.)
£10,000-15,000 US$13,000-19,000
€12,000-17,000

PROVENANCE:
Anon. sale, Christie’s Swire, Hong Kong, 26 Sept. 1989, lot 1070.
A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF DUTCH CARTOGRAPHY PROBABLY DRAWN UP BY THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY
(VOC) CHARTMAKERS AT BATAVIA IN JAVA
The increase in VOC trading in the East in the frst half of the 18th century resulted in an increase in cartographers in Batavia from
seven in 1700 to forty in 1740. The quality and relative accuracy of the chart refect the highest skills of the VOC chartmakers in the
East. This chart is particularly interesting as it has a number of later annotations in freehand, especially around the Pearl River, the
chart being inscribed ‘Verbeterde ... [improved ...]’ on the reverse. The eforts of the VOC to update their charts by their captains
and other users is well known, and contributed to their domination of the European trade in the East in the 18th century.

20 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.