Patria del Friuli olim Forum Iulii
| Reference: | MS5209 |
| Author | Willem Janszoon BLAEU |
| Year: | 1640 ca. |
| Zone: | Friuli |
| Printed: | Amsterdam |
| Measures: | 520 x 415 mm |
€550.00
| Reference: | MS5209 |
| Author | Willem Janszoon BLAEU |
| Year: | 1640 ca. |
| Zone: | Friuli |
| Printed: | Amsterdam |
| Measures: | 520 x 415 mm |
€550.00
Description
Geographic map, from the Toonneel des aerdrijcx oft Nieuwe Atlas Dutch edition of 1642.
The map first appears in the third volume of the Theatrum. According to Koeman it is first published in the French edition of 1640, entitled Le Theatre du Monde ou Nouvel Atlas, Mis en lumiere par Guillaume & Jean Blaeu. Troisieme partie. In Amsterdam, Chez Iean & Corneille Blaeu MDCXL. The third volume of the Theatrum contains 58 maps of Italy and 4 of Greece (see Koeman, Atlas Neerlandici, pp. 160-162, Bl 35A). The maps of Italy are all derived from the work of Giovanni Antonio Magini. However, it seems more likely that Blaeu relies on those of Hendrick Hondius and Johannes Janssonius published in Theatrum Italiae in quo Eius Regna, Domina, Ducatus, Et Speciatim Illorum Provinciae, Tabulis Accuratissimis, Iam, De Novo in Lucem Editio, Describunter, Quorum Sequens Pagina Indicabit, printed in Amsterdam by Hendrick Hondius in 1636.
Although published after the death of Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1638) the maps often bear his imprint. It is not known whether they were all ready-made or if his sons Johannes and Cornelis completed them posthumously.
“Il Theatrum dell'Ortelio e l'Atlas del Mercatore (inspiegabile è la scomparsa dello Speculum) - ci segnala il Baldacci "si contendono il primato cartografico durante i primi decenni del secolo XVII; ma ben presto gli editori proprietari rinunziano a questa gara, scientificamente nobile ma commercialmente logorante. Il Theatrum passa in proprietà di Guglielmo Janszoon Blaeu (Blauw, Blaeuw), che omette il patronimico Janszoon per evitare pericolose omonimie commerciali con la ditta concorrente intestata a Giovanni Jansson. È opportuno dir subito che questi, invece (prima insieme con Enrico Hondius), era diventato il proprietario dell'Atlas.
Il Blaeu proseguì la pubblicazione col titolo Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus; lo Jansson prosegui la pubblicazione col titolo Atlas Novus sive Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Si noti la significativa diversità dei titoli. Ma la Ditta Blaeu finirà con l'adottare la designazione Atlas (sembra dopo il 1664 e cioè dopo la morte del rivale Jansson), collegandola con la chiarificazione sive cosmographia blaviana.
Evidentemente la floridezza della situazione finanzia- ria di ambedue le ditte e qualche segreto accordo commerciale hanno condotto verso il gigantismo editoriale, sia come dinamismo di pubblicazioni che come grandezza di formati. Infatti gli atlanti, moltiplicandosi di carte ed in maniera eccessiva di testo descrittivo, di orpelli decorativi e di varia colorazione, con rilegature meravigliose, diventano opere monumentali, più di pesante ornamento che di agevole consultazione. L'originario scopo, sia dell'Ortelio che del Mercatore, diretto a giovare agli studi e agli studiosi, va travisandosi anche per la sovrabbondanza del testo descrittivo (per cui l'atlante effettivamente diventa una cosmographia). Le tavole aggiunte, inoltre, non sempre sono scientificamente all'altezza delle altre; lo stesso dicasi per le tavole sostituite. La concorrente rapidità di emissione di edizioni aggiornate ha fatto sì che l'uno e l'altro editore, più o meno sistematicamente, applicassero nel frontespizio, incollandolo, il titolo e la data di pubblicazione... Scandalistico non è tanto il complessivo scadimento scientifico della copia (atlanti regionali interamente imitati, ad esempio dal Magini per l'Italia, o ripresi da proprie precedenti pubblicazioni, ad esempio, dello Speed per la Gran Bretagna), che perde persino il nome del suo autore, ma che i due editori di Amsterdam, con qualche variante, offrano al pubblico senza dichiararlo - materiale all'incirca identico. Ortelio e Mercatore sono traditi e la loro memoria e il loro insegnamento risultano profanati".
Aggiungiamo, per documentare meglio quanto avverrà nel nostro campo regionale, che delle rappresentazioni cartografiche prese a modello, questi stampatori nordici talora si limitavano a dare delle semplici riproduzioni, tal altra mutavano scala, altre volte, ancora, cambiavano l'inquadratura o procede- vano ad un diradamento degli oggetti geografici o delle nomenclature, ma, sempre, si impegnavano per ottenere dei prodotti nitidi e di una certa eleganza formale. Di conseguenza lo studioso trova difficoltà nell'orientarsi in quello che si può definire un vero e proprio labirinto cartografico. Spesso, infatti, una stessa carta appare diversa solo per qualche particola- re insignificante; altre volte all'Amstelodami sumptibus Henrici Hondii è sostituito semplicemente l'Amstelodami apud Ioannem o Sumptibus loannis lanssonii, o l'apud G. Blaeuw. Giovanni Jansson era, del resto, cognato di Enrico Hond, avendone sposato la sorella, figlia di Josse o Jodoco Hond, morto nel 1612. Sostanzialmente, però, essi rimanevano fedeli al modello prescelto, perché quasi mai erano in grado di correggerne gli errori; semmai, anzi, ne aggiungevano dei nuovi. E questo il motivo, per il quale i loro prodotti cartografici raramente costituiscono un progresso nella storia della cartografia.“ (Lago, Rossit "Theatrum Fori Iulii" vol. 2, p.38)
Copperplate, contemporary colour, in excellent condition.
Bibliografia:
Lago, Rossit "Theatrum Fori Iulii" vol. 2, pp. 38-39, Tav. C; Keoman Bl 38A , 29.
Willem Janszoon BLAEU (Uitgeest 1571- Amsterdam 1638)
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At the beginning of the seventeenth century Amsterdam was becoming one of the wealthiest trading cities in Europe, the base of the Dutch East India Company and a centre of banking and diamond trades, its people noted for their intellectual skills and splendid craftsmanship.
At this propitious time in the history of the Northern Provinces, Willem Janszoon Blaeu, who was born at Alkmaar in 1571 and trained in astronomy and the sciences by Tycho Brahe, the celebrated Danish astronomer, founded a business in Amsterdam in 1599 as a globe and instrument maker.
It was not long before the business expanded, publishing maps, topographical works and books of sea charts as well as constructing globes.
His most notable early work was a map of Holland (1604), a fine World Map (1605-06) and Het Licht der Zeevaerdt (The Light of Navigation), a marine atlas, which went through many editions in different languages and under a variety of titles.
At the same time Blaeu was planning a major atlas intended to include the most up-to-date maps of the whole known world but progress on so vast a project was slow and not until he bought between 30 and 40 plates of the Mercator Atlas from Jodocus Hondius II to add to his own collection was he able to publish, in 1630, a 60-map volume with the title Atlantis Appendix.
It was another five years before the first two volumes of his planned world atlas, Atlas Novus or the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum were issued. About this time he was appointed Hydrographer to the East India Company.
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.
It ought to be mentioned here that there is often confusion between the elder Blaeu and his rival Jan Jansson (Johannes Janssonius). Up to about 1619 Blaeu often signed his works Guilielmus Janssonius or Willems Jans Zoon but after that time he seems to have decided on Guilielmus or G. Blaeu.
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Willem Janszoon BLAEU (Uitgeest 1571- Amsterdam 1638)
|
At the beginning of the seventeenth century Amsterdam was becoming one of the wealthiest trading cities in Europe, the base of the Dutch East India Company and a centre of banking and diamond trades, its people noted for their intellectual skills and splendid craftsmanship.
At this propitious time in the history of the Northern Provinces, Willem Janszoon Blaeu, who was born at Alkmaar in 1571 and trained in astronomy and the sciences by Tycho Brahe, the celebrated Danish astronomer, founded a business in Amsterdam in 1599 as a globe and instrument maker.
It was not long before the business expanded, publishing maps, topographical works and books of sea charts as well as constructing globes.
His most notable early work was a map of Holland (1604), a fine World Map (1605-06) and Het Licht der Zeevaerdt (The Light of Navigation), a marine atlas, which went through many editions in different languages and under a variety of titles.
At the same time Blaeu was planning a major atlas intended to include the most up-to-date maps of the whole known world but progress on so vast a project was slow and not until he bought between 30 and 40 plates of the Mercator Atlas from Jodocus Hondius II to add to his own collection was he able to publish, in 1630, a 60-map volume with the title Atlantis Appendix.
It was another five years before the first two volumes of his planned world atlas, Atlas Novus or the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum were issued. About this time he was appointed Hydrographer to the East India Company.
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.
It ought to be mentioned here that there is often confusion between the elder Blaeu and his rival Jan Jansson (Johannes Janssonius). Up to about 1619 Blaeu often signed his works Guilielmus Janssonius or Willems Jans Zoon but after that time he seems to have decided on Guilielmus or G. Blaeu.
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