Claes Jansz. Visscher was a leading Amsterdam map publisher whose output played a central role in shaping Dutch cartography in the first half of the seventeenth century. He established his publishing house in 1611 on the Kalverstraat, close to leading contemporaries such as Pieter van den Keere (#8, #109, #122, #155, #217, #273, #285) and Jodocus Hondius I (#80, #212, #253, #272). The firm’s success continued for more than a century under his son Nicolaes Visscher I (#25, #93, #129, #287, #299) and later by his grandson Nicolaes Visscher II, maintaining its reputation well into the eighteenth century.

This world map, drawn on Mercator projection, was first issued in 1637 and reissued in several later states, including this example published in Amsterdam in 1652. Issued in the final year of Claes Jansz. Visscher’s life, it is one of the most celebrated world maps of the Dutch Golden Age.

The geography reflects a world still in the process of being defined. Tierra del Fuego is shown as a distinct landmass, no longer a part of the mythical southern continent. Even though Abel Tasman had already explored parts of the southern hemisphere in 1642-1644, the map continues to show a large imagined southern continent. California is shown as an island, a widely accepted idea at the time that later proved to be incorrect.

The interior of North America is filled by a large oval cartouche containing a twelve-line Latin inscription describing the discovery of America. The text refers to the discoveries by Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci; in some states these voyages are incorrectly dated to 1592 and 1599, but in this map the dates are corrected to 1492 and 1499. he inscription also mentions the journeys of Francis Drake, alongside Dutch navigators Olivier van Noort, Sebald de Weert, Joris van Spilbergen, and Jacob le Maire. Together, these figures place Dutch explorers with the wider history of global exploration.

Two polar hemispheres appear along the lower edge of the map, set within the southern landmass, which is broken south of South America and near New Guinea. Visscher’s imprint is placed to the left of the southern polar projection.

The map is framed by richly engraved borders. Allegorical figures of the four continents appear in the corners, based on designs by Adriaen Collaert after Maerten de Vos. The upper and lower borders depict mounted Roman emperors after prints by Antonio Tempesta, giving rise to the map’s common name, the “Twelve Caesars” map.

Top border: Iulius Caesar; Augustus; Tiberius; Caligula; Claudius; Nero; Asia.

Bottom border: Africa; Galba; Otho; Vitellius; Vespasianus; Titus; Domitianus; America.

The side borders alternate between costumed figures representing the peoples of the world and well-known city views, highlighting both geographic reach and curiosity about distant places:

Left border (from top to bottom): Roma; Europaei; Amsterdam; Asiatici; Ierusalem; Africani; Tunis

Right border (from top to bottom): Mexico; Americani Sept.; Havana; Americani Merid.; Parnambuco; Magelianici; B. de Todos Santos

This seventh state is especially notable for its gold heightening. The decoration does more than embellish the sheet: through classical figures, explorers, and scenes from around the world, it presents the Dutch as heirs to classical learning and confident participants in global exploration. The map stands as both a statement of geography and a visual expression of Dutch maritime ambition and cultural reach.

Günter Schilder, Monumenta cartographica Neerlandica, vol. 6 (Canaletto, 2000), 106-108.

The Illustrated Bartsch, vol. 35, Antonio Tempesta, ed. Walter L. Strauss (New York: Abaris Books, 1984), 326–37, nos. 596–607.

Hollstein, vol. IV, nos. 471–74