Doedsz and the Edam School were the main suppliers of sea charts for the later created Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the early 17th century, in fact, later VOC cartographers such as Willem Blaeu were known to copy their work. The present chart has been beautifully decorated with colorful compass roses and scale bars, and has been heightened with gold, it includes some toponyms in Dutch, and is generally in excellent condition.

Cartography:

Cartographically the chart shows the coastlines of Southeast Asia from the west of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to the east of Japan. From north to south the area extends from the north of Korea to just south of the tropic of Capricorn. Korea has here been depicted as an island, as it was first published by Ortelius in 1595 on his map of Japan. The coasts of the Asian mainland and the larger and smaller islands, especially Indonesia and the Philippines, are depicted in different colors (green, red or purple), depending on their seafaring significance and political demarcation. The names of the coastal towns are alternately written in black and red; and shallows, sandbanks, and reefs are marked by dots or black crosses. Details such as these show that the chart was intended for practical use at sea. It further includes a number of Dutch toponyms, which suggests it was made after the first Dutch voyages to the East Indies, as earlier Dutch charts of this region were based on Portuguese and Spanish sources, and therefore only included Portuguese or Spanish toponyms. The Dutch toponyms on the present chart can be found on Sumatra.

The portolan chart originated in the Mediterranean region in the 13th century as a navigational aid for pilots. As such, they mostly depict coastlines, doing so quite accurately. Portolan charts are characterized by rhumb lines, lines that radiate from the centre in the direction of, often elaborate, wind or compass roses. Generally drawn on vellum and often embellished in silver and gold, they were some of the most beautiful examples of the mapmaker's art ever produced. Far more accurate than other maps in the medieval tradition, and collected for their beauty and historical importance, portolan charts have been called "one of the most important turning points in the whole history of cartography" and "a unique achievement not only in the history of navigation but in the history of civilization itself" (Campbell). Since they were produced for practical use at sea, they are now very rare.

Attribution:

As most portolan charts, the present example is anonymous and undated, however it can be attributed firmly to the Edam School and potentially to Doedsz because of the decoration of two children's heads on one of the scale bars. This decoration is present on another chart which has been signed by Doedsz (see Schilder, X.9) and most likely refers to his house in Edam, which was named “De vier Heemskinderen” (The four sons of Aymon).

Dating of the chart:

Doedsz was born in Kwadijk and moved to Edam in 1588. De vier Heemskinderen was the name of his second home in Edam, where he lived from 1593 until 1606. The present chart was most likely made during this time. It includes more Dutch toponyms than his chart of the same area from 1598 (see Schilder & Kok 0.07), however less than a similar, anonymous chart from the same school dated to roughly 1600 (Schilder & Kok 0.10), evidently added with newer information; for this reason, it may therefore have been made in between these two charts, i.e. between 1598 and 1600. As such, it is an important, impressive and beautiful record of the earliest Dutch activities in the East Indies.

Rarity:

The rarity of Dutch portolan charts of South East Asia from the earliest stages of Dutch discovery and settlement in the region in the market cannot be overstated, especially when reaching us in such exceptional condition.

Medea-chart database, 5367; Schilder, G., Early Dutch maritime cartography, X.11; Schilder, G. & Kok, H., Sailing for the East, 0.09; cf. Campbell, "Portolan Charts" in Woodward, The History of Cartography, vol. I, pp. 371-463; Hulskemper, K., 500 jaar Edamse cartografie, pp. 29-37.