Portrait of a Surveyor (Andries van der Wal)

Surveyor and architect Andries van der Wal, Northern Netherlands, 3rd quarter 17th century. Andries van der Wal was commissioned by the city of Haarlem in 1661 to submit designs for a northward extension to the city. While not realised at the time, the plans were revived in January 1671. As the general political situation deteriorated, the city anticipated a flood of immigrant craftsmen. An amended version of Van der Wal's plan was now approved. Shortly before his death, Van der Wal was able, together with other surveyors, to lay out the lines for new fortifications, streets and canals. In this portrait, Van der Wal is surveying a plot of land using an instrument for measuring angles. Other measuring instruments are depicted in the carving below. On loan from Netherlands Collection Institute, Amsterdam.