Exactissima Asiæ Delineatio - Allard c.1695

Title: Exactissima Asiæ Delineatio in Præcipuas Regiones Cæterasque Partes Divisa
Cartographer: Carel Allard
Published: Amsterdam, c. 1680–1705
Technique: Copperplate engraving with original hand-coloring

A Baroque Masterpiece of the Late Dutch Golden Age
This 1695 engraving by Carolus Allard is one of the most decorative and geographically advanced maps of Asia from the late 17th century. Published in Amsterdam, it incorporates the groundbreaking research of Nicolaas Witsen, providing one of the first detailed views of the Siberian interior and the "Tartarian" North.

Geographic Reach & "Company Style" Aesthetic
The map captures the vastness of the continent during a peak era of Dutch maritime influence:

• The Maritime Crossroads: The map meticulously charts the southern trade routes, noting the critical maritime corridors at the tip of the Malay Peninsula that connected the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea.
• "Hollandia Nova": In the lower right, the map prominently displays the northern coast of Australia, documenting the successful Dutch VOC voyages that were then finalizing the continent’s outline.
• Company Style Colouring: This copy is finished in the classic "Company Style"—a vibrant, full-wash technique favored by the elite merchants of the VOC. These bold pigments were used to denote political boundaries and the diverse territories that made up the Eastern world.

Artistic Grandeur
The magnificent allegorical cartouche in the bottom left serves as a tribute to the "Orient," depicting an Asian monarch amidst a backdrop of exotic goods, perfectly encapsulating the era's fascination with the commercial riches of the East.