An Early Dutch Map Depicting the Arrival of a Diplomatic Mission in Siam

Abstract

A painted map from a collection in the Baden State Library appears to depict the arrival of a Dutch diplomatic mission in Siam in 1628—an event which is described in a lengthy eyewitness account in the VOC records. The map displays seven separate scenes showing the sequence of the mission’s arrival in the Chaophraya River. The correspondence between the text and the map suggests that the map was inspired by the text. This article examines the likely provenance of the map and how it came to be lodged in a German State Library.