Title Page Design for Playsante landschappen c. 1641

Claes Jansz. Visscher made this title page design for Playsante landschappen in the Netherlands sometime before his death in 1652, using pen and brown ink, with brown and gray wash, over graphite. This allegorical design shows a figure emerging from a book, a symbol of the landscapes and seascapes that define the Dutch Republic. The Republic was the most urbanized nation in Europe at this time, yet wealthy Dutch citizens invested heavily in the land. The landscapes that they owned were not just a source of income but also of national pride. We see this pride reflected in the detailed imagery, which blends the natural with the man-made. The design includes fishing rods, a boat, an hourglass, and other objects, suggesting themes of time, leisure, and the bounty of the land. The book invites viewers to enter this world, reflecting a growing market for landscape prints among the Dutch middle class. To understand such imagery, art historians explore period maps, literature, and economic data.