Dr. Marcel van den Broecke (1942 - 2020)

Marcel van den Broecke


Marcel van den Broecke has specialized in Ortelius' maps over the last 25 years. He is considered to be the specialist in this subject and his numbering and classification system of Ortelius atlas maps has gained acceptance in map trade as well as map research.

In this sale, we can offer a selection of original Ortelius maps from the collection of dr. Marcel van den Broecke. Each map has in lead pencil, by the hand of Marcel van den Broecke, the "vdB Ortnumber" and publication date. In the top left, his price valuation and stock number.
A great option to buy an original Ortelius map owned by the ultimate Ortelius specialist.


bookORTELIUS ATLAS MAPS An illustrated Guide.
Among many of Marcel's publications, this book is his most-known publication. It provides information on the maps included in the first regular atlas that ever appeared, Ortelius' Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.
This atlas appeared first in 1570, and went through numerous editions. Its content was updated and expanded. It grew from 53 to 166 maps. The atlas was the most expensive book of the 16th century, but despite that, a bestseller and more than 7000 copies of it were printed. This illustrates its importance in the history of cartography, a fact recognized by Ortelius' contemporaries and map collectors and historians today.

The book is a guide that provides information on the occurrence of each map in various atlas editions, thus allowing the reader to determine from which edition a loose map derives. It also provides information on the various states most maps went through and gives their cartographical sources.

An illustration opens the description of each map. Many new maps have been identified by the author and are described here for the first time. The guide opens with a short biography on Ortelius and a survey of the editions of his atlas, and is concluded by indexes that help to accomplish quick map identification. This book is indispensable for anyone who wants to know details about Ortelius' maps as they occur in his atlas.



van den BroeckeMarcel Peter René van den Broecke (Amsterdam, 25 May 1942 - Bilthoven, 8 March 2020)
Van den Broecke studied at the Barlaeus Gymnasium, followed by studies in chemistry at the Brandeis-university, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. He continued studying English, Language science and phonetics at the University of Amsterdam.
In 1986 he graduated as PhD at Utrecht University with his study Hierarchies and rank orders in Distinctive Features (van Gorcum, Assen).
In 1982-1983 he studied historical cartography at Utrecht University.
In 2009 he graduated as PhD in urbanistic sciences at Utrecht University, with his dissertation Ortelius, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (1570-1641). Characteristics and development of a sample of on verso map texts.

He was married to Dr. Deborah Günzburger, and he had four sons.


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Literature