Putti en vrouw met kaart van het Duitse Rijk 1736

This 1736 etching by Jan Caspar Philips, titled "Putti en vrouw met kaart van het Duitse Rijk," depicts a scene of learning and cartography. A woman, possibly representing a goddess of knowledge, sits and points to a map of the German Empire, surrounded by cherubs. The engraving is a title page for a volume of "Hedendaagsche Historie," or "Contemporary History," which is likely a comprehensive historical work of the time. The scene evokes a sense of the importance of historical knowledge and the expanding world of cartography, particularly within the context of the 18th century. The artwork, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, showcases the artistic mastery of Philips, and his attention to detail in depicting the figures and the map itself.