This extremely attractive map of the British Isles was most likely published in or shortly after 1694 when William III became the sole sovereign following the death of Queen Mary. Published by Nicholaas Visscher the map shows an updated Ireland according to Sir William Petty’s survey. Shortly after publication the map was updated with the addition of ‘Silly Islands’ to Sorlinges and ‘Straits of Dover’. The extremely attractive title cartouche glorifies William III whose portrait is framed above. Upper left are three cherubs holding aloft the coats of arms of England, Scotland, and Ireland. On the verso are two pages of placenames keyed to the map using upper and lower case letters in the margins.

Nicolaas Visscher II (1649-1702) had inherited the shop of his father of the same name upon his death in 1679. The following year he married Elizabeth Verseyl of Gouda. In 1682 he applied to the States of Holland and West Friesland for a patent for printing and publishing maps, it was granted the same year. From about 1683 he first published the ‘Atlas Minor’. A second patent was granted in 1697. Provenance: Gebr. Haas 2004; private English collection. Koeman (1967-70) III p. 180 no. 121; Shirley (1988) Visscher 4.2.