A unique large hand-drawn map of Surinam by Albrecht Helmut Hiemcke (German, 1760-1839)

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'Colonie Surinaame', 1830

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A large hand-drawn and coloured map of the colony of Surinam titled “Deze Generale kaart der vermelde colonie is getekend door den beedigde landmeter A.H.Hiemcke Az. Gedaan in den jaare 1830”.

With a plan of the town of Paramaribo, and surrounding sugar and coffee plantations.

H. 88.5cm x W. 246.5 cm

Albrecht Helmuth Hiemcke, born in 1760 in Germany, came to Surinam in 1790, one of the many Germans who tried their luck in military service in Dutch overseas possessions in the eighteenth century. In 1796 he was appointed assistant engineer with the Inspection of Fortifications and was awarded the important commission to survey the new suburbs of Zeelandia. Hiemcke retained his position during both British occupations of Surinam; in 1799 and in1804. He spent the years from 1808 to 1810 in the Netherlands where he wrote further surveying examinations. He then returned to Surinam where he resumed his old profession, initially under the British and from 1816 once more under the Dutch, becoming the most prominent surveyor of the colony. The large map shown here is arguably the highlight of his surviving works. Hiemcke died in Paramaribo in 1839.