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1570 ORTELIUS, A. - [Title page for] Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.
[Title page for] Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.
| Maker: | ORTELIUS, A. | |
| Date: | Antwerp, after 1570 | |
| Colored: | In attractive original colors. | |
| Size: | 367 x 230 mm / 14.4 x 9.1 inches | |
| Condition: | A bit soiled in the margins, as usual. General in good condition. | |
-This item is available for immediate sale
$600 / ≈ €536
Description
A decorative title page of the first atlas ever made shows five female figures as allegorical representatives of the continents, grouped around the title. According to Peter van der Krogt in Atlantes Neerlandici; Ortelius's engravers made three almost identical plates for the title page: plate A (1570), plate B (1579), and plate C, used for non-Latin editions beginning in 1572.
This is the A version, being one of the earliest printed title pages in fine strong original colors.
The crowned and enthroned figure at the top is Europe, the empress of the world. The scepter in her right hand is an emblem of her authority and by means of the rudder held in her left hand, she steers the affairs of the world. The large cross signifies her Christian (Catholic) religion.
The figure at her right hand on the left of the title is Asia, richly dressed as an oriental princess with gems and precious stones. In her left hand is a thurible, full of fragrant incense, and the aromatic fumes issuing from it represent oriental mystery.
Africa, standing on the opposite pedestal, is black; burnt as a result of the impetuous chariot ride of Phacthon unable to control the horses of his sun-father Helios. Africa's head glows with her heat and in her hand, she holds a sprig of balsam whose unique provenance was thought to be Egypt.
The reclining figure at the foot is America thought to be the first allegorical representation of that continent. She depicts south America with weapons and hunting equipment appropriate to her status as an Amazonian warrior. The severed head hints at the practices of cannibalism which are elaborated in lascivious detail in Van Meetkerke's poem.
Finally, there is the truncated bust of a fifth figure: she represents Magellanica, the terra incognita or virgin land as yet unexplored. The fires burning below her breast correspond to those sighted by Magellan and hence the lands named thereafter Tierra del Fuego and Magellanica.
Reference: V.d.Krogt, Atlantes Neerlandici, vol.IIIA, plate 31:1A.
Abraham Ortelius (1527-1898)
Abraham Ortel, better known as Ortelius, was born in Antwerp and, after studying Greek, Latin, and mathematics, started his career as a cartographer. Later, together with his sister, he became a seller of books, prints and maps.Abraham Ortel, better known as Abraham Ortelius, was born in Antwerp and, after studying Greek, Latin, and mathematics, started his career as a cartographer. Later, together with his sister, he became a seller of books, prints and maps.
Traveling widely, especially to the great book fairs, his business prospered and he established contacts with the literati in many lands. On one such visit to England, possibly seeking temporary refuge from religious persecution, he met William Camden, whom he is said to have encouraged to produce the Britannia.
A turning point in his career was reached in 1564 with the publication of a World Map in eight sheets of which only one example is known: other individual maps followed and then - at the suggestion of a friend - he gathered together a collection of maps from contacts among European cartographers and had them engraved in uniform size and issued in 1570 as the Atlas of the Whole World.
Although Lafreri and others in Italy had published collections of 'modern' maps in book form earlier, the Theatrum was the first uniformly sized, systematic collection of maps and can be called the first atlas, although that term itself was not used until twenty years later by Mercator.
Abraham Ortelius became the Royal Cartographer to Philip II, King of Spain. Philip sent him a gold necklace worth one thousand ducats. He died on 28 June 1598 at age 71.
Map coloring
At age 19, Abraham Ortels' name appeared in the register of the guild of St Luke as "afsetter," or colorist of maps and prints. He appears to have reached a very advanced level of skill in this craft, as some customers kept insisting on buying atlases he colored himself, even after he established himself as a publisher and cartographer/merchant.
Ortelius was never married and lived with his sister Anna, a situation that remained unchanged throughout his life.
Real prosperity came with the publication of his atlas in 1570, and his sister Anne took over coloring and remained a competent colorist for the rest of her life. Incidentally, children did most map coloring at this time.
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[Title page for] Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.
1570 ORTELIUS, A. - [Title page for] Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.
Date: Antwerp, after 1570
Borussiae Regnum compectens Circulos Sambiensem, Natangiensem, et Hockerlandiae Nee non Borussia Polonica, exhibens Palatinatus Culmiensem. . .
1759 LOTTER, T.C. - Borussiae Regnum compectens Circulos Sambiensem, Natangiensem, et Hockerlandiae Nee non Borussia Polonica, exhibens Palatinatus Culmiensem. . .
Date: Augsburg, 1759
