Views of the Surroundings of Haarlem (Beschryvinge ende lof der stad Haerlem in Holland. In rijm bearbeyd: ende met veele oude ende nieuwe stucken buyten dicht uyt verscheyde kroniken, handvesten, brieven, memorien ofte geheugenissen ende diergelijke schriften verklaerd ende bevestigd)
Medium
Vellum bound book with letterpress text with engraved and etched illustrations and a woodcut printer's mark, with a set of etchings tipped in at the back
Dimensions
7 11/16 × 6 3/16 × 1 7/8 in. (19.5 × 15.7 × 4.8 cm)
Classification
Books|Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Dr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Elkind Gift, 2015
Accession Number
2015.27
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 17th-century Haarlem with *Views of the Surroundings Haarlem* (1628), a lavish vellum-bound book that celebrates the city's history, architecture, and landscapes. Penned in verse by poet and minister Samuel Ampzing, scholarly contributions from Petrus Scriverius, chorography—part poetic eulogy, part historical chronicle—draws on ancient records, charters, and letters to extol Haarlem's Dutch Golden Age prominence. Measuring a compact 7 11/16 × 6 3/16 × 1 7/8 inches, it's a portable treasure of letterpress text adorned with engraved and etched illustrations, a woodcut printer's mark, and a tipped-in set of etchings. This collaborative masterpiece unites Haarlem's finest talents: Frans Hals captures lively portraits, Pieter Jansz. Saenredam renders precise church interiors, while Claes Jansz. Visscher, Jan van de Velde II, and others depict panoramic city views and rustic surroundings through meticulous engraving and etching techniques. These prints, blending realism with topographic accuracy, showcase the era's printmaking prowess, making complex historical narratives visually accessible. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (acquired via the 2015 Dr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Elkind Gift), the book reflects Haarlem's cultural pride amid Holland's prosperity, offering visitors a window into how art and scholarship intertwined to immortalize a thriving Dutch city.
About the Artist
Willem Akersloot|Jan Philipsz van Bouckhorst|Frans Hals|Adriaen Rooman|Jacob van Campen|Claes Jansz. Visscher|Samuel Ampzing|Jan van de Velde II|Petrus Scriverius|Pieter Jansz. Saenredam|Theodor Matham · 1590–1690
Trained in Haarlem; after a trip to Paris in 1620, he was back in his native Haarlem by 1624. Comment on works: copper engraver