Description:
Large VOC watercolour view of Porto Praia, Cape VerdeJohann Christian Friderici [= Frederici] (Heldburg 1766 - Cape Town 1804).
Prospect van het eyland, en de rheede van St. Iago. Geteekend van Johann Christian Friderici / Verbeelding van de inwoonders op St Iago.
Porto Praia, Cape Verde, 1783.
Watercolour with ruled black ink border on laid paper, watermarked Pro Patria with Maid of Dort. 29,5 x 120,5 cm.
The largest recorded early modern panoramic view of Cape Verde, by "the best VOC map maker in South Africa" (Koeman). This is his earliest known work.Santiago's Porto Praia is the main harbour of Cape Verde. It served as an important transportation hub of enslaved African people to the Americas and for the restocking of ships bound for the Cape with salt and fresh foods. These two functions of the island are depicted in the cartouche in the top right. It shows an African family and examples of livestock: a turkey and a goat. The man wears clothes that are also seen in depictions of plantation… Read More
