Scandinavia  by Willem Janszoon Blaeu
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Scandinavia 1643 - 1650

Willem Janszoon Blaeu

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  • About the artwork
    Suecia, Dania, et Norvegia, Regna Europae Septentrionalia Copper engraving published by the house of Blaeu, between 1643-50. Verso: French text. With original hand colouring. Size: 42,7 x 53,1 cm. This fine map depicts the kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark and Norway, whose coats of arms are featured within the title cartouche. The map is attributed to Anders Bure (1571-1646), a Swedish cartographer and mathematician. Bure, also known as Andreas Bureus, compiled a map of the northern part of Sweden and the first separately printed map of the country. Bure was an important figure in the history of Swedish cartography and set up a land surveying office which continued for over 200 years. The Kingdom of Sweden is shown at its largest extent. The map extends to present day Finland and the Baltic states, and is filled with details of towns, political boundaries, rivers, and topography. Price: Euro850,-
  • About the artist

    "Willem Janszoon Blaeu and his son Joan epitomised the 'golden age' of Dutch cartography. Working during the seventeenth century, Willem Blaeu drew a number of ground-breaking maps and published the first atlas.

    He was born in 1571 in Amsterdam and worked initially as a clerk in the family herring trade. However, he was not happy with his occupation and left home in 1594 to study mathematics under Tycho Brahe, the famous astronomer. Blaeu was a good student who much impressed his tutor, and when his studies were completed he returned to Amsterdam and set up business as a map maker. His business flourished and his reputation grew. He was the first map-maker to produce single sheet maps of many European countries.

    In 1605 he made a wall map of the world, encompassing 20 sheets, each 8 feet across. This map was by far the most accurate of the period and made an outstanding contribution to knowledge of world geography.

    His map remained the most accurate until 1648, when his son, Joan, who also became a famous map-maker, updated it. But his major achievement was the production of the first atlas in 1630. The name Blaeu was actually a family nickname which Willem took up after confusion had occurred between himself and his great rival Joannes Jansonius."

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