With an extensive summary in English. This attractive and profusely illustrated book offers for the first time a complete survey of all printed maps of the former county of Holland. The reader obtains an excellent insight into the development of the typically Dutch landscape through the ages. Over a hundred maps from the period of 1542 to the beginning of the Kingdom of the Netherlands show the results of impoldering, peat cutting and town extensions in the provinces of North and South Holland. Many maps from this period are richly decorated. Beside the geographical and cartographical developments this book also gives a good picture of the developments which took place in the artistic field.