Olfert Dapper

Olfert Dapper
Born January 1636
Amsterdam, Dutch Republic
Died 29 December 1689(1689-12-29)
Amsterdam, Dutch Republic
Occupation Geographer, writer
Nationality Dutch
Subject History, geography
Notable works Description of Africa (1668)

Olfert Dapper (6 January 1636 – 29 December 1689) was a Dutch physician and writer. He wrote books about world history and geography, although he never travelled outside the Netherlands.

Biography

Illustration of the city and castle of Corfu, from Dapper's book Description of Morea (1688)
Illustration of the ruler of Loango, from Dapper's Description of Africa (1668)

Olfert Dapper was born in early 1636 in the Jordaan in Amsterdam. On 6 January 1636, he was baptized in the Lutheran church in Amsterdam.[1]

In 1663 wrote a book on the history of Amsterdam. His Description of Africa (1668) is a key text for African studies.[2] His book "is one of the most authoritative 17th century accounts on Africa published in German. Translations appeared in English, French, and German.[1] Dapper never traveled to Africa but used reports by Jesuit missionaries and other (Dutch) explorers. Within a few years he published about China, India, Persia, Georgia, and Arabia. His books became well known in his own time. The fine plates include views of Algiers, Benin, Cairo, Cape Town, La Valetta, Marrakech, St. Helena, Tangier, Tripoli, Tunis, as well as, animals and plants.

Dapper was buried on 29 December 1689 in Amsterdam.[1]

Influence

To this day, Dapper's book Description of Africa is a key historical text on African history[1][3]

In Amsterdam, the street Dapperstraat was named after him. The Dutch writer Willem Frederik Hermans wrote a book on him with the title Het Evangelie van O. Dapper Dapper (1973).

In Paris, the Musée Dapper was opened in 1986, named after Dapper.[4] Peter S. Beagle dedicated The Last Unicorn to Dr. Dapper for his reports of unicorns in Maine.[5] In 2012, Beagle wrote a fictional tale of Dapper's travels.[6]

Bibliography

Illustration of people riding an elephant, from the 1681 German edition of the Dapper's Description of Asia (1680)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Olfert Dapper". Musée Dapper. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  2. http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/books-manuscripts/dapper-olfert-umbstandliche-und-eigentliche-beschreibung-5281565-details.aspx
  3. "Africa, or Greater Libya". World Digital Library. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  4. "The Foundation". Musée Dapper. Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  5. "The Last Unicorn Dedication Page". Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  6. Beagle, Peter S. (March 2012) [released March/April 2012]. "Olfert Dapper's Day" (genre: Fantasy literature). F&SF. Retrieved 2012-05-17.
  7. Rijksmuseum Research Library
  8. Literature (1600-1800): Naukeurige Beschrijvingen der Afrikaensche gewesten
  9. "Literature (1600-1800): Naukeurige beschrijvinge der Afrikaensche Eylanden (Description of Africa)
  10. item 10054810, Rijksmuseum Research Library
  11. item 10012664, Rijksmuseum Research Library
  12. item 10102268, Rijksmuseum Research Library
  13. item 10102272, Rijksmuseum Research Library
  14. item 10102269, Rijksmuseum Research Library.
  15. item 10102270, Rijksmuseum Research Library.
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