Mauritiopolis.

From Montanus' "De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld: of Beschryving van America". In the late 1630’s Holland attempted to reassert its claim over Brazil by establishing a series of forts along the coastline.

One of the best-documented colonies was the expedition led by Prince Maurits of Nassau, who attempted to assemble an intellectual court in the New World. He brought with him a group of highly accomplished artists, mapmakers, and scientists to record the mysteries of Brazil. They included the celebrated painter Frans Post, and the astronomer George Markgraf, who produced the first serious study of the southern sky. Post painted a wealth of images of the Brazilian landscape and the surrounding vegetation and wildlife. His works are some of the earliest European paintings of Brazil and were eagerly reproduced in print by Dutch engravers. This sweeping panorama of the Dutch town of Mauritzstad is derived from a painting done by Post. The town of Mauritzstad was founded by Nassau as his principle residence. The town was built on Antonio Vaz Island, outside the town of Recife, and included the castle of Vrijburg and an observatory, from which Markgraf compiled his astronomical observations.