Judia
Amsterdam: Herman Uytwerf, 1732.
Map. Copper engraving. Image measures 12.5" x 8".
This remarkable 1732 plan of Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand, presents the city as a bustling island crisscrossed by canals, with boats depicted navigating the waterways. The map was issued as part of the French edition of "Histoire Naturelle, Civile, et Ecclesiastique de l'Empire du Japon," published in a three-volume set by Uytwerf in Amsterdam. It highlights key roads and major temples, though it omits a key for the temple symbols. Founded in 1350 by King Ramathibodi I at the confluence of the Chao Phraya, Lop Buri, and Pa Sak rivers, Ayutthaya grew to become one of Southeast Asia's most influential and powerful states. Known as "Krung Kao" or "ancient capital," Ayutthaya thrived for over 400 years, supporting a large population and serving as the birthplace of King Rama I, founder of modern Bangkok.
The city's architecture, art, and literature were largely lost when the Burmese army sacked Ayutthaya in 1767, leading to the kingdom's fall. Today, the ruins of Ayutthaya are preserved in the UNESCO-recognized Ayutthaya Historical Park, where the remaining prangs and grand monasteries evoke the city's former grandeur. The map is in good condition with minor wear along fold lines.
Kaempfer's first-hand observations led to more precise depictions, including in the northern regions like Kamchatka and Hokkaido (then called Jesso). Despite some geographical distortions, Kaempfer's work greatly influenced Western understanding of Japan and its geography. His History of Japan became an essential reference for European mapmakers, illustrating Japan's provinces, towns, and natural features with unprecedented detail for the time. Later European cartographers, such as Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, published maps of Japan based on Kaempfer's work. The map's historical significance extends beyond cartography, offering insight into Japan's limited interactions with the West under the Tokugawa Shogunate's Sakoku policy. It demonstrates the slow but steady flow of knowledge between Japan and Europe, laying the groundwork for future cross-cultural exchanges. Kaempfer's map was instrumental in expanding Western knowledge of Japan and is considered one of the most important European maps of Japan in the 18th century.
Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716) was a German physician, naturalist, and explorer renowned for his extensive travels across Russia, Persia, India, Southeast Asia, and Japan between 1683 and 1693. Born in Lemgo in the Holy Roman Empire, he pursued studies in medicine and natural sciences and later joined the Dutch East India Company as a surgeon, which led him to Japan. During his two-year stay at the Dutch trading post in Deshima, Nagasaki, Kaempfer visited Edo (Tokyo) and studied Japanese culture and geography.
Kaempfer is best known for his posthumously published History of Japan (1727), a foundational work that shaped Western understanding of Japan for over a century. His earlier work, Amoenitatum exoticarum (1712), focused on medical observations and Japanese botany. His maps and writings, compiled and translated by Johann Gaspar Scheuchzer, became influential references for European cartographers and scholars. This is great example of his work.
Language: French
Price: $375.00
Item #324456