France 1606

Abraham Ortelius

PaperPrint
40 ⨯ 48 cm
€ 1.750

Inter-Antiquariaat Mefferdt & De Jonge

• About the artwork
  16TH CENTURY FRANCE “Gallia” [Gaul] copper engraving made by Baptista van Doetecum, first published in 1592 by Cornelisz. Claesz., then by Johan Baptist Vrients, and in this case by Abraham Ortelius in 1606 as part of his atlas “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” [Theatre of the World]. With original hand colouring. Verso: Italian text. Size: 40 x 48,6 cm. The cartouche mentions that this is a “geographical description of Gaul, newly revised in many places, and with distinct boundaries of the limits of the regions. Made by the authority of Petrus Plancius [who drew the map in 1592]. This land is bordered by the Rhine, the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, the Pyrenees Mountains, the British and Germanic Aquitanian Ocean; the Romans commonly called it Gaul; within its limits are confined today: the most powerful Kingdom of the Franks, Savoy, the Counties of Burgundy, Helvetia, Alsace, Lorraine, Low Countries, and certain other regions.” The map was map in the time of the French Wars of Religion, a period of civil war between French Catholics and Huguenots. Estimates suggest between two to four million people died from violence, famine or disease directly arising from the conflict. Abraham Ortelius (1527 - 1598) was an Antwerp cartographer, geographer, and cosmographer. His Theatrum Orbis Terrarum is considered to be the world’s first modern atlas. The publication of his atlas in 1570 is often reagarded as the official beginning of the Golden Age of Dutch cartography. Price: Euro 1.750,-
• About the artist

  Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598) was a Flemish cartographer and geographer who is widely regarded as the creator of the first modern atlas and one of the most influential mapmakers in history. His groundbreaking publication, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World), marked a turning point in the way geographical knowledge was collected, standardised and presented.

  First published in 1570, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum was revolutionary in both concept and execution. Unlike earlier collections of maps, Ortelius’s atlas offered a coherent and systematic overview of the known world, with maps of uniform size, style and quality, accompanied by scholarly commentary. This approach transformed cartography from a fragmented craft into a structured scientific and cultural discipline, making global geography accessible to scholars, merchants and statesmen alike.

  Ortelius lived and worked during the Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography, a period in which advances in exploration, printing and trade reshaped Europe’s understanding of the world. Alongside Gerardus Mercator, Ortelius is considered a founding father of the Netherlandish school of cartography. While Mercator revolutionised map projection, Ortelius excelled in synthesis—bringing together the best available geographical knowledge into a single, authoritative work.

  Beyond his technical achievements, Ortelius was a humanist thinker with a deep interest in history, classical antiquity and cultural exchange. He maintained an extensive international network of scholars, explorers and mapmakers, carefully crediting sources—an unusual and progressive practice for his time. This scholarly integrity contributed significantly to the credibility and enduring influence of his work.

  Abraham Ortelius’s legacy lies not only in his maps, but in his vision of the world as an interconnected whole. His atlas shaped European worldviews for generations and laid the foundations for modern cartography, securing his place as one of the great intellectual figures of the Renaissance.

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