[A unique, made-to-order edition, of the Parergon, in quo Veteris geographiae aliquot tabulae.]

This is a unique, made-to-order atlas of Ortelius's Atlas, "Parergon" or "Atlas of the ancient world." In 1579, Ortelius published his first Parergon (a series of maps illustrating ancient history, sacred and secular).

Koeman mentioned about the Parergon of Ortelius: This atlas of ancient geography must be regarded as a personal work of Ortelius. For this work he did not, as in the 'Theatrum', copy other people's maps but drew the originals himself which were later engraved by Jan Wierix … 

The maps in the Parergon have to be evaluated as the most outstanding engravings depicting the widespread interest in classical geography in the 16th century. In its final form, the Parergon was printed in 1642 as a separate book by Balthasar Moretus and was also bound together with the 1612 Latin Theatrum (P. van der Krogt, Atlantes Neerlandici, volume 3,31:055)

This atlas is a specially ordered composition containing 30 maps without text on the verso; 27 maps are from the "Parergon" and 3 by Van Lochom, all maps have blank versos and are printed on strong paper.
On the verso of the first map is a contemporary manuscript index of the included maps, written in brown ink. The maps are numbered on the recto in brown ink; according to this list,

According to the states, our Paregon maps can be dated from 1601 onwards and before 1624.

The only known example of an atlas with Parergon maps without printed text on the verso is an atlas of 25 maps quoted by van der Krogt in Atlantes Neerlandici  (31:79) and dated ca. 1600; it comprises 20 Parergon maps and five additional maps. (Stuttgart, Würtembergische Landesbibliothek, HBFb 284)

Our example has three added maps by Michel van Lochom’s; the maps can be dated ca. 1640.

Provenance : The owner of this atlas was a prominent humanist Louis de Sainte-Marthe (Loudun 1571- 1656), also written Louis de Saincte-Marthe or Ludovicus Sammarthanus: historian, genealogist, historiographer and a royal advisor.
There were joint contributions between the Plantin publishing house and Louis de Sainte-Marthe. Louis possibly bought the remaining maps without text from the Plantin House.

Louis de Sainte-Marth was very interested in the Holy Land and collaborated with the Benedictines Jean Chenu and Claude Robert on the monumental "Gallia Christiana" and likely added the three van Lochom maps after his return to Paris around or after 1640, when the van Lochum maps were published.



The Parergon’s maps can be dated ca.  1601 :
-    1 Europa
-    3 Britannica insula
-    5 Hispania
-    7 Gallia julii Caesaris
-    9 Gallia
-    11 Belgium
-    13 Germania
-    15 Pannonia & Illyricum
-    17 Daeciae & Moesia
-    20 Thracia
-    22 Pontus Euxinus
-    24 Italia
-    26 Graecia
-    28 Graecia Major
-    30 Italia Gallica sive Gallia Cisalpina
-    32 Tuscia
-    34 Latium
-    36 Sicilia
-    38 Corsica, Etna Sardinia, Creta
-    40 Cyprus, multaque, alio insula
-    42 Africa proprie dicta
-    44 Aegyptus antiqua
-    46 Erythra sive Rubri maris Periplus
-    48 Peregrinatio Israelitorum in deserto
-    50 Terra Sancta in qua Christus peregrinatus
-    52 Typus Chorographicus celebrium locorum in regno Judae et Israelis
-    54 Peregrinatio Divi Pauli
-    56 Argonautica
-    58 Alexandri Macedonis Expeditio
-    60 Romanum Imperium

Three maps by van Lochom c. 1640 :
-    Peregrinatio Israelitarum per desertum in terram promissam (rare)
-    Terra Sancta sive Palestina in qua Christus peregrinatus est (very rare).
-    Peregrinationis divi Pauli typus corographicus ? (no other example known). Based upon Ortelius.


Louis de Sainte-Marthe (Loudun 1571- 1656), also written Louis de Saincte-Marthe or Ludovicus Sammarthanus. Historian, genealogist, historiographer, royal advisor. - Son of Scévole I and twin brother of Scévole II.
Louis de Sainte-Marthe belonged to the Sainte-Marthe family, a group of renowned humanists and scholars who flourished in France between the 16th and 18th centuries. The son of Scévole I (1536-1623), an illustrious poet and politician from Poitou, he began his humanist studies with his twin brother, Scévole, in Poitiers.
Later, the two brothers studied law in Angers. President de Thou made his rich library available to the young people. Louis and his brother Scévole devoted themselves to historiographical research. With his brother, he was appointed historian to the king in 1620 and began with the Histoire généalogique de la Maison de France, which was a great success.
The two continued with the Histoire généalogique de la maison de La Trémoïlle. Finally, they collaborated with the Benedictines Jean Chenu and Claude Robert on the monumental "Gallia Christiana" (1656).