Van Leeuwen - Batavia Illustrata - 1685

MONUMENTAL HISTORY OF OLAND, BETWEEN WARS, POLITICS AND CONSPIRACIES
A fundamental work for the construction of the historical identity of the Netherlands, Simon van Leeuwen’s Batavia Illustrata presents itself as an ambitious and stratified narrative of the origins, customs, and institutions of ancient Batavia, identified with Holland and Zealand. Published posthumously in 1685, the work reflects the typical modern-age need to anchor the young Dutch Republic in a noble and almost mythical past. Through an interweaving of legal erudition, history, and religious reflection, van Leeuwen builds a cultural genealogy that legitimizes the independence and political exceptionalism of the United Provinces.
MARKET VALUE
Copies in one volume, complete with both parts and engraved title page, generally range between 600 and 900 euros.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Monumental contemporaneous binding in full morocco, spine decorated in gold with raised bands; signs of wear. Engraved frontispiece by A. Vaillant; titles in red and black. Physiological foxing and browning. In old books with a centuries-long history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pp. (4); 30nn; 1520; (4).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Batavia illustrata, ofte Verhandelinge vanden oorspronk, voortgank, zeden, eere, staat en godtsdienst van oud Batavien [!...].
Gravenhage, Johan Veely, Johan Tongerloo, Jasper Doll, 1685.
Simon van Leeuwen.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
Batavia illustrata fits into the tradition of grand historical-scholarly works that, between the 17th and 18th centuries, aimed to define national identities through recovering the classical and medieval past. Van Leeuwen, a jurist by training, uses historical sources, traditions, and antiquarian interpretations to outline a complex portrait of ancient Batavia, elevating it to a cultural and political matrix of modern Holland. The reference to the Batavians, a Germanic people cited by Tacitus, becomes here an ideological instrument to reinforce the image of a free, virtuous nation historically autonomous. The work addresses themes such as religion, institutions, customs, and social organization, offering a totalizing vision that unites erudition and identity construction.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Simon van Leeuwen (1626–1682) was a Dutch jurist and historian, known for his writings on Roman-Dutch law and for his historical works. His legal training deeply influenced his approach to history, characterized by argumentative rigor and attention to institutions. Batavia illustrata, published posthumously, represents one of his most ambitious works and testifies to his interest in the historical and cultural roots of the Netherlands.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Published in 1685 after the author's death, this first edition represents the sole original appearance of the work in its complete form. Printed by J. Veely and other publishers, it reflects the lively Dutch typographic production of the late Seicento. The work enjoyed a decent diffusion among the educated circles of the United Provinces, especially among jurists, historians, and antiquaries interested in the construction of national memory.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
See WorldCat for the 1685 edition of Batavia illustrata; STCN (Short Title Catalogue Netherlands) for the bibliographic description of the edition; ICCU/OPAC SBN (search for Van Leeuwen, Batavia illustrata, 1685) for copies held in Italian libraries; studies on the construction of Batavian identity in 17th-century Dutch historiography; Tacitus, Germania and Historiae as classical reference sources for the Batavian myth."}} ]} }{