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

A detailed seventeenth-century cartographic print showing the top-right section of the Watergraafsmeer polder, featuring precise land divisions and ornate heraldic decorations.

This print represents the top-right section of a larger cartographic survey of the Watergraafsmeer, a polder located near Amsterdam. Pieter van den Berge, a Dutch engraver active during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, produced this work to document the land reclamation and division of the area. The map displays a grid-like structure of the polder, demarcating individual plots with numerical identifiers. These divisions reflect the systematic approach to land management and agricultural planning common in the Netherlands during this period.

Beyond its functional purpose as a map, the work incorporates decorative elements characteristic of the era. The upper portion features a banner inscribed with the name of the region, Diemer-Meer. To the right, the composition is dominated by elaborate heraldic shields and cartouches. These emblems represent the local authorities and prominent figures involved in the administration of the polder, including the Schepen and Heemraad. The inclusion of putti and ornate scrollwork surrounding the coats of arms demonstrates the aesthetic conventions of Dutch cartography, where technical precision met artistic display.

The etching technique allows for fine detail in the linework, particularly in the rendering of the heraldic motifs and the precise grid of the polder. The contrast between the rigid, geometric lines of the land parcels and the fluid, organic forms of the decorative cartouches creates a balance between utility and ornament. This print provides a view into the administrative history of the Dutch landscape, capturing the intersection of civil engineering and the visual culture of the Dutch Golden Age. It is a document of both land development and the social hierarchy of the time.