'Zendingskaart van Nederlands Oost-Indie en Suriname', 1930

A popular missionary map was made in 1930 by Annéus Brouwer (1875-1948). The map shows the Dutch East Indies and indicates in clear colors the areas of activity of missionary organizations. It is remarkable that attention is also paid to foreign organizations, such as those of the American Methodists. Catholic missions are also listed, as are missionary schools, hospitals and ‘leper colonies’.

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© Noordhoff, Groningen

Brouwer was born in the Dutch East Indies, but the family soon moved to the Netherlands. From 1910 to 1921 he was director of the Dutch Missionary School in Rotterdam, and in 1935 became Professor of the New Testament at Utrecht University.

Brouwer's map turned out to be the most popular missionary map in the 1938 survey of the missionary education committee. Undoubtedly, this had to do with the crystal-clear presentation of the Dutch East Indies through simple shapes and bright colors, which distinguished the map from the more complex map made by Evert Nijland from 1891. In 1935 the map measuring 75 x 135 cm cost four guilders or 10 guilders for the more luxurious version (printed on linen and with wooden sticks).

This scan was provided by the VU University in Amsterdam because the Utrecht University copy is not suitable for scanning.