Close-ups
Framed and on the wall
Frame and rooms are illustrations of how the print could look, drawn to its real size; it is sold unframed unless the description says otherwise.
The Company
Batavia Bastion Perl, Antique Optical Print of Indonesia, c.1770
Batavia is now Jakarta.
€440
$490 · £370
Original print, not a reproduction
Ships worldwide from the Netherlands, insured and tracked. 14-day returns.
- Date
- 1770
- Sheet size
- 13.1 × 17.5 in (33.3 × 44.5 cm)
- Condition
- Fair. Fair to good condition for age. Clean impression with vibrant hand coloring. Light overall age toning, faint foxing, and small stains and tears at margins, not affecting the main image. Minor handling creases. Fully suitable for framing.
- Island
- Java
- Place names
- Batavia is now Jakarta
- Collection
- The Company
- Period
- The Company, 1700 to 1799
- Stock no.
- f_45691192
- Color
- Hand colored
What the condition grades mean
- Excellent
- Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
- Very good
- Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
- Good
- Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
- Fair
- Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Optica View of Batavia Castle Bastion Perl, Indonesia, circa 1770
This is an original 18th-century hand-colored optical print depicting a view of the Bastion Perl along the curtain wall of Batavia Castle (Kasteel Batavia), present-day Jakarta, Indonesia. The engraving shows a detailed and lively scene of Dutch colonial Batavia from the vantage point of the fortifications, looking over the canal with ships, houses, and distant mountainous landscapes.
The foreground features Dutch VOC officials and local figures walking along the fortification promenade shaded by palms and tropical vegetation. The canal is animated with boats bearing Dutch flags, while ducks swim near small floating structures, possibly used for duck farming or fishing. Elegant two-storey colonial houses with shuttered windows line the left bank, and the bastion walls with their defensive architecture frame the right side.
At the top margin is the reversed French title “Vüe de la Bastion Perl du Batavie,” indicating its use as an optical print for viewing through a zograscope or optical viewing box. The German title below reads: “Prospect von der Bastion Perl längst der Courtine des Castells Batavia gezeichnet,” describing the exact vantage point within the castle’s defensive layout.
This print was published circa 1770 as part of European optica series that presented exotic city views and architectural scenes from Asia, Africa, and the Americas to curious European audiences. It combines cartographic precision with lively narrative detail, illustrating the Dutch East India Company’s headquarters and trading hub in Asia.
Fair to good condition for age. Clean impression with vibrant hand coloring. Light overall age toning, faint foxing, and small stains and tears at margins, not affecting the main image. Minor handling creases. Tape support on the reverse around the borders. Fully suitable for framing.
Framing tips:
Frame this optical print in a gilt or dark wood frame to emphasize its historic and decorative value. Use an off-white or pale cream archival mat to highlight the color contrasts and preserve the sheet edges. UV-protective glazing is recommended to protect the pigments from fading while ensuring clarity for display.
Explore
