Kaart van de Watergraafsmeer (bovenste deel) - Pieter van den Berge

A detailed seventeenth-century map of the Watergraafsmeer polder, featuring precise geometric land divisions and elaborate heraldic ornamentation.

This detailed cartographic work by Pieter van den Berge depicts the upper section of the Watergraafsmeer, a polder located near Amsterdam. Created during the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, the map captures the precise geometric layout of the reclaimed land, which was drained in the early 1600s. The grid-like structure of the polder is clearly delineated, showing the division of land parcels that defined the area's agricultural and residential development.

The map is framed by elaborate heraldic devices and cartouches, which reflect the social and political status of the landowners and administrators associated with the region. These ornamental elements, featuring coats of arms and allegorical figures, are characteristic of the period's cartographic style, where scientific measurement met decorative art. The central title banner is flanked by a swan, a symbol often associated with the local geography, and the initials WG M, denoting the Watergraafsmeer.

Van den Berge, a Dutch engraver and publisher, produced various maps and topographical prints during his career. His work provides a record of the Dutch landscape as it was transformed by engineering projects. The lines are clean and precise, typical of copperplate engraving techniques used to ensure clarity for administrative and navigational purposes. This print offers a view into the historical land management of the Netherlands, documenting the transformation of a lake into a structured, productive polder. The composition balances the technical requirements of a map with the aesthetic expectations of the era, resulting in a document that is both functional and decorative.