Nicholas Jansz Visscher

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     A map, Novissima et accuratissima XVII Provinciarum Germaniae Inferioris Delineatio, appears in Jan Vermeer's (1632-1675) The Art of Painting. It is the largest of all the wall maps painted by Vermeer, and was completed about 1667. It hangs with north to the right and with text and pictures of 20 towns and courts from the Seventeen Provinces. It was also used in paintings by Nicholas Maes (1634-1693), The Listening Housewife, and Jacob Ochtervelt (1634-1682), Purchasing Grapes.
     The map was made before 1655 and was unknown until it was discovered by Albert Flocon in the Bibliothéque National, Paris in 1962. The map, engraved on nine sheets, was published by the son of Visscher (1586-1652) the elder, Claes Jansz Visscher (1618-1679), who customarily referred to himself as Nicholas Piscator.

SCN 683

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