Gijsbert Heeck, 1619-1669
Gijsbert Heeck, 1619-1669
Overview of Chapter H: Utilizing the compelling but little-known journal of a surgeon in the Dutch East India Company, this chapter explores the social history of seventeenth century South Africa, Indonesia, and Thailand, as well as the history of medical science to 1650. Heeck’s return to Holland in 1658 allows for a discussion of Amsterdam’s socio-economic milieu, including the complex relationships between mercantilism, Jewish life, and the tradition of Dutch still life painting.
(Note: I know of no image capturing Heeck's likeness; the portrait on the left of a man with intense curiosity in his eyes is what I imagine Heeck to have looked like. This image is a detail of Michiel van Mierevelt and Pieter van Mierevelt's "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Willem van der Meer," (1617), in the Museum Prinsenhof Delft, Delft, The Netherlands, and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)
additional resources and scholarship
Discussion Questions and Writing Prompts:
1. Chapter G introduced Mahayana Buddhism, while Chapter H discusses Theravadin Buddhism. What are the differences between these two major schools of Buddhism and which do you find more personally compelling?
2. Chapter F discussed Jews in Mexico City, while Chapter H discusses Jews in Amsterdam. What were the similarities and differences between the Jewish experience in these two places in the seventeenth century?
Classroom activities:
1. Visit the Dutch National Maritime Museum website. How does their presentation enhance your understanding of Heeck's world?
2. Determine the closest maritime museum to your home and visit its website. What do you learn about naval and maritime history as a result of comparing these two websites?
Links to New Scholarship
This short paper offers an analysis of VOC trading VOC practices with a focus on the nutmeg trade, discussing corrupt labor practices and the abuse of fiduciary responsibilities. See: Marie Jane Jumawan-Matero, Challoner Matero, and John Francis Diaz, “Corruption, Negligence, and Mismanagement at the Dutch East India Company,” Seven Pillars Institute Moral Cents, Vol. 8 Issue 2, (Summer/Fall 2019) 55-61, https://sevenpillarsinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Corruption-Negligence-and-Mismanagement-at-Dutch-East-India-Co-Edited-2.pdf