Civitavecchia vetervm Centvm Cellae
| Reference: | MMS1978 |
| Author | Johannes BLAEU |
| Year: | 1663 |
| Zone: | Civitavecchia |
| Printed: | Amsterdam |
| Measures: | 500 x 425 mm |
€450.00
| Reference: | MMS1978 |
| Author | Johannes BLAEU |
| Year: | 1663 |
| Zone: | Civitavecchia |
| Printed: | Amsterdam |
| Measures: | 500 x 425 mm |
€450.00
Description
Map taken form the rare first edition of Theatrum Civitatum et Admirandorum Italiae ad aevi veteris & praesentis temporis faciem expressum à Ioanne Blaeu G. F., printed by Johannes Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1663.
This is the first monumental town book entirely covering Italy, preceded by the "pocket-size" Italia Hodierna by Jodocus Hondius jr. (1627) and realized in likely competition with Johannes Janssonius who, in 1657, published the Theatrum praecipuarum urbium, containing a volume dedicated to Italy.
Johannes Blaeu, during his long editorial activity published three volumes on Italian cities. In 1663 the first three, divided into the State of the Church, Rome and the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily.
At his death his heirs gave birth to two more volumes dated 1682 focused on the cities of Piedmont and Savoy, then reprinted by other publishers in 1693 and 1697.
Pierre Mortier publishes a reprint in 1704/5, entitled Nouveau Theatre de l'Italie. The work is in four volumes and includes the plates of Blaeu, retouched and modified in small part, supplemented by the addition of several new maps of his own design, depicting the cities of the northern part of the peninsula, enclosed in the first volume of the work. Mortier's atlas was published with Latin, French and Dutch texts. The great success of the work gave rise to a further reprint, virtually identical, edited by R. Alberts and published in 1724/5.
Example of the first edition, showing descriptive text on the back of the map.
Literature
Koeman, Atlas Neerlandici, pp. 332/338; Cremonini pp. 49-52, 39.
Johannes BLAEU (Alkmaar 1596 circa - Amsterdam 1663)
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Joan Blaeu was the eldest son of Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), and was probably born in Alkmaar in the province of Noord-Holland in the final years of the 16th century. He was brought up in Amsterdam, and studied law at the University of Leiden before going into partnership with his father in the 1630s. He became chief cartographer to the Dutch East India Company from 1638, and from 1651 to 1672 he served on the Amsterdam City Council without a break, holding several public offices. He also invested in Dutch colonial interests in North America. Joan Blaeu main work was Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (or Atlas Maior as it had became known.) Atlas had expanded to between 9 and 12 volumes, depending on the language. With over 3,000 text pages and approximately 600 maps, it was the most expensive book money could buy in the later 17th century. In 1638 Willem Blaeu died and the business passed into the hands of his sons, Joan and Cornelis, who continued and expanded their father's ambitious plans. After the death of Cornelis, Joan directed the work alone and the whole series of 6 volumes was eventually completed about 1655. As soon as it was finished he began the preparation of the even larger work, the Atlas Major, which reached publication in 1662 in II volumes (later editions in 9-12 volumes) and contained nearly 6oo double-page maps and 3,000 pages of text. This was, and indeed remains, the most magnificent work of its kind ever produced; perhaps its geographical content was not as up-to-date or as accurate as its author could have wished, but any deficiencies in that direction were more than compensated for by the fine engraving and colouring, the elaborate cartouches and pictorial and heraldic detail and especially the splendid calligraphy. In 1672 a disastrous fire destroyed Blaeu's printing house in the Gravenstraat and a year afterwards Joan Blaeu died. The firm's surviving stocks of plates and maps were gradually dispersed, some of the plates being bought by F. de Wit and Schenk and Valck, before final closure in about 1695.
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Johannes BLAEU (Alkmaar 1596 circa - Amsterdam 1663)
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Joan Blaeu was the eldest son of Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), and was probably born in Alkmaar in the province of Noord-Holland in the final years of the 16th century. He was brought up in Amsterdam, and studied law at the University of Leiden before going into partnership with his father in the 1630s. He became chief cartographer to the Dutch East India Company from 1638, and from 1651 to 1672 he served on the Amsterdam City Council without a break, holding several public offices. He also invested in Dutch colonial interests in North America. Joan Blaeu main work was Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (or Atlas Maior as it had became known.) Atlas had expanded to between 9 and 12 volumes, depending on the language. With over 3,000 text pages and approximately 600 maps, it was the most expensive book money could buy in the later 17th century. In 1638 Willem Blaeu died and the business passed into the hands of his sons, Joan and Cornelis, who continued and expanded their father's ambitious plans. After the death of Cornelis, Joan directed the work alone and the whole series of 6 volumes was eventually completed about 1655. As soon as it was finished he began the preparation of the even larger work, the Atlas Major, which reached publication in 1662 in II volumes (later editions in 9-12 volumes) and contained nearly 6oo double-page maps and 3,000 pages of text. This was, and indeed remains, the most magnificent work of its kind ever produced; perhaps its geographical content was not as up-to-date or as accurate as its author could have wished, but any deficiencies in that direction were more than compensated for by the fine engraving and colouring, the elaborate cartouches and pictorial and heraldic detail and especially the splendid calligraphy. In 1672 a disastrous fire destroyed Blaeu's printing house in the Gravenstraat and a year afterwards Joan Blaeu died. The firm's surviving stocks of plates and maps were gradually dispersed, some of the plates being bought by F. de Wit and Schenk and Valck, before final closure in about 1695.
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