Map of the Table Bay

Title on object: Aldus vertoont haer de Tafel Bay geleegen aende de Cabo de Bona Esperanca

The map shows the Table Bay, where the VOC founded its Cape Colony in 1652. Initially mainly a resupply station for VOC ships en route to Asia, Cape Town would grow to be an ever more important colonial city, and also the base from which the entire Cape region eventually became a settlement colony. On this map and the other known copies, however, there is no sign of any Dutch presence at all yet.

Other copies: Nationaal Archief VELH0619.37; Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Van der Hem 38:04; Vaticaanse Bibliotheek Reg. Lat. 2107, fol. 52r. (The latter is available through the digital collections of the Vatican itself.)

Part of the Carte di Castello, collected by Cosimo de Medici III in 1667 and 1669 during his tours through Europe. Cosimo III bought the 66 watercolours by Vingboons in December 1667 in Amsterdam, through mediation of Pieter Blaeu.