The Greek explorer Pytheas gave the most northern part of Europe a name: Ultima Thule. Around the year 350 BC he travelled to the furthest northern reaches humanly possible at that time. His Ultima Thule became a magical land: a land where the sun never set. The Dutch photographer Jan Vermeer has successfully captured the entire North Pole region in all its splendour. He travelled over 15,000 kilometres to achieve this, photographing endless landscapes, spectacular northern lights, colourful birds, and naturally the most important of the Arctic's animal inhabitants, including the polar bear. The photography featured in this over-size book makes an indelible impression on the reader. Fifteen short texts by Frieda van Essen, tell the story of the historic North Pole expeditions and the artists who were part of them.