Pars Borealior Iutiae Septentrionalis... / Pars Australior Iutiae Septentrionalis...

Reference: S40120
Author Johannes BLAEU
Year: 1630 ca.
Zone: Denmark
Measures: 585 x 445 mm
€600.00

Reference: S40120
Author Johannes BLAEU
Year: 1630 ca.
Zone: Denmark
Measures: 585 x 445 mm
€600.00

Description

Two-sheet map of Denmark by Johannes Blaeu. The map is first published in the Atlas Major of 1662. The present specimen is taken from the edition with Latin text. 

At the death of Willem J. Blaeu, in October 1638, the printing house was taken over by his sons Johannes or Joan (1596-1673) and Cornelis (about 1610-1642) who took over the business of their father. In the same year Joan Blaeu also took over his father's position as official cartographer of the V.O.C. The title placed Blaeu's publishing house at the center of map-making in Amsterdam, giving them unprecedented power and influence. Upon Cornelis' death in 1642, the publishing house remained solely in the hands of Joan Blaeu, who in 1648 was the first to publish a map depicting the Copernican theory of the Earth revolving around the Sun, a heretical concept according to the Catholic Church. In 1662 Blaeu completed his magnum opus: the Atlas maior sive cosmographia Blaviana.

A fine example, printed on contemporary paper, finely original colouring, in good condition. 

Johannes BLAEU (Alkmaar 1596 circa - Amsterdam 1663)

Joan Blaeu was the eldest son of Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), and was probably born in Alkmaar in the province of Noord-Holland in the final years of the 16th century. He was brought up in Amsterdam, and studied law at the University of Leiden before going into partnership with his father in the 1630s. He became chief cartographer to the Dutch East India Company from 1638, and from 1651 to 1672 he served on the Amsterdam City Council without a break, holding several public offices. He also invested in Dutch colonial interests in North America. Joan Blaeu main work was Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (or Atlas Maior as it had became known.) Atlas had expanded to between 9 and 12 volumes, depending on the language. With over 3,000 text pages and approximately 600 maps, it was the most expensive book money could buy in the later 17th century. In 1638 Willem Blaeu died and the business passed into the hands of his sons, Joan and Cornelis, who continued and expanded their father's ambitious plans. After the death of Cornelis, Joan directed the work alone and the whole series of 6 volumes was eventually completed about 1655. As soon as it was finished he began the preparation of the even larger work, the Atlas Major, which reached publication in 1662 in II volumes (later editions in 9-12 volumes) and contained nearly 6oo double-page maps and 3,000 pages of text. This was, and indeed remains, the most magnificent work of its kind ever produced; perhaps its geographical content was not as up-to-date or as accurate as its author could have wished, but any deficiencies in that direction were more than compensated for by the fine engraving and colouring, the elaborate cartouches and pictorial and heraldic detail and especially the splendid calligraphy. In 1672 a disastrous fire destroyed Blaeu's printing house in the Gravenstraat and a year afterwards Joan Blaeu died. The firm's surviving stocks of plates and maps were gradually dispersed, some of the plates being bought by F. de Wit and Schenk and Valck, before final closure in about 1695.

Johannes BLAEU (Alkmaar 1596 circa - Amsterdam 1663)

Joan Blaeu was the eldest son of Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), and was probably born in Alkmaar in the province of Noord-Holland in the final years of the 16th century. He was brought up in Amsterdam, and studied law at the University of Leiden before going into partnership with his father in the 1630s. He became chief cartographer to the Dutch East India Company from 1638, and from 1651 to 1672 he served on the Amsterdam City Council without a break, holding several public offices. He also invested in Dutch colonial interests in North America. Joan Blaeu main work was Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (or Atlas Maior as it had became known.) Atlas had expanded to between 9 and 12 volumes, depending on the language. With over 3,000 text pages and approximately 600 maps, it was the most expensive book money could buy in the later 17th century. In 1638 Willem Blaeu died and the business passed into the hands of his sons, Joan and Cornelis, who continued and expanded their father's ambitious plans. After the death of Cornelis, Joan directed the work alone and the whole series of 6 volumes was eventually completed about 1655. As soon as it was finished he began the preparation of the even larger work, the Atlas Major, which reached publication in 1662 in II volumes (later editions in 9-12 volumes) and contained nearly 6oo double-page maps and 3,000 pages of text. This was, and indeed remains, the most magnificent work of its kind ever produced; perhaps its geographical content was not as up-to-date or as accurate as its author could have wished, but any deficiencies in that direction were more than compensated for by the fine engraving and colouring, the elaborate cartouches and pictorial and heraldic detail and especially the splendid calligraphy. In 1672 a disastrous fire destroyed Blaeu's printing house in the Gravenstraat and a year afterwards Joan Blaeu died. The firm's surviving stocks of plates and maps were gradually dispersed, some of the plates being bought by F. de Wit and Schenk and Valck, before final closure in about 1695.