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Johann Christian Friderici Prospect van het eyland, en de rheede van St. Iago

 Unprocessed Material — Oversize_Flat_File_folder: ViU-2024-0129_001
Identifier: ViU-2024-0129

Content Description

This collection contains one watercolor view titled "Prospect van het eyland, en de rheede van St. Iago" [View of Porto Praia, Cape Verde]. The drawing, measuring 11.5 X 47.5 inches, is the largest recorded early modern panoramic view of Cape Verde. It was completed in 1783 by Johann Christian Friderici (1766-1804), a cartographer and lieutenant who worked for the Dutch East India Company in South Africa. It is the earliest known work by Friderici, completed a year before his permanent post in South Africa began. The scene is of the island's southern coast at its full length but at an angle that causes the harbor of Porto Praia in Santiago to be hidden from view. The port served as an important transportation hub of enslaved African people to the Americas and to restock ships. The cartouche set to the right in the watercolor features an African family and examples of livestock. A woman carries a wrapped bundle on her head, smokes a pipe, holds her child's hand at her side, and carries another child on her back. A man to her left wears clothes seen in the depictions of plantation guards in the West Indies at that time and carries a net and stick with a rope attached. A monkey perches above the title, and a goat and turkey are set in the background. The drawing depicts the southern coast of the island. Ten ships, a mixture of British and Dutch ships indicated by naval flags, sail peacefully in the harbor. The harbor landscape provides great detail, with a farm, and distant mountain ranges delineated from each other through color and shading. Friderici began working for the Dutch East India Company (referred to historically as the VOC) in his birthplace of Heldberg, Germany in 1784. After serving as a lieutenant of artillery, Friderici began to create maps under the direction of Cape of South Africa Governor C.J. Van de Graaff. Frederici is known for his time in South Africa, making several important maps, including the Cornelius Koeman. Friderici also became known for his artistic watercolors of coastline scenes, depicting sea vessels and, often, battles.

Acquisition Type

Purchase

Provenance

Purchased from Artem Rare Books, 01 July 2024.

Language of Description

Dutch; Flemish

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

No

Dates

  • Creation: 1783

Creator

Extent

.5 Cubic Feet (1 Flat File Folder (Large)) ; Folder (Large --36 X48); item 11.5 X 47.5 inches

Language of Materials

Dutch; Flemish

Metadata Rights Declarations

Inventory

1 drawing