Graecia, Sophiani
| Reference: | S46100 |
| Author | Abraham ORTELIUS |
| Year: | 1579 ca. |
| Zone: | Greece |
| Printed: | Antwerpen |
| Measures: | 500 x 355 mm |
| Reference: | S46100 |
| Author | Abraham ORTELIUS |
| Year: | 1579 ca. |
| Zone: | Greece |
| Printed: | Antwerpen |
| Measures: | 500 x 355 mm |
Description
Splendid historical-geographical map of Greece published in Abraham Ortelius' Parergon.
Example from the rare Italian edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum printed in Antwerp by Jean Baptiste Vrients in 1608 and then in 1612.
Title: (in Greek lettering:) HEllas. | GRAE:|CIA, SO:|PHIA:|NI.|"Abrahamo Ortelio | descriptore. Bottom, left of centre: "Cum Priuilegio".
Example of the second state: between 1587 and 1592 the hatching along the coastlines was extended from 3 to 5 mm; the hatching on the pillar behind the right figure in the title cartouche, lower left, was changed from horizontal to vertical.
It is based on a map of Nikolaus Sophianos (abt. 1500-1552 or later) from around 1540 which was published by Johnnes Oporinus in Basel in 1545 as a woodcut in eight parts; and later in 1552 on four sheets (Meurer p. 241-242, Karrow 71/1 p. 495-498). Hence the title of the map: Graecia “Sophiani”.
Sophianos’ map unites in one single cartographical picture the Peloponnesus, Achaea, Epirus and Macedonia with all of Balkans south of the Danube, together with Western Anatolia and additionally, a small part of Southern Italy or Magna Graecia. His “tota Gaecia” is an assemblage of geographical data derived from Greek literature that can be seen as an attempt yo visualize, cartographically, the complex history of the Greek world, from the earliest mythic times until its Roman imperial period, it ranges from mythical and Homeric times (invoked by places such as Troy and Mycenae) to late Roman and early Byzantine history (represented by places such as Nicopolis, Adrianopolis and Costantinople)
On the verso, Ortelius wrote: That country which the Romans call GRÆCIA, Greece, was by the Greeks generally named HELLAS. Yet, its borders are not described in the same way by everyone. The part of it that was truly and most anciently called Greece is that which Ptolemæus, Plinius and Mela name Attica, in which Athens is located,. It is a free city, as Plinius calls it, and needs no further recommendations, famous and honourable as it is. Yet it is manifest, not only from the writings of the common Historiographers' sort, but also from Strabo himself, the prince of Geographers, that many countries are comprised under the name of Græcia or Hellas, namely Macedonia, Epirus, Peloponnesus, and other provinces comprised under these names.
Bertius bought a number of sheets with this map and included the map in his historical 1618 atlas "Theatrum Geographić Veteris", using the 1609/1612L Theatrum text.
The Parergon is the first historical atlas ever published. It was initially conceived by Ortelius as an appendix to his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum but given the considerable success of these historical maps it later became an independent work and remained the main source of all similar works throughout the seventeenth century.
Koeman wrote: “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... He took many places and regions from the lands of classical civilization to illustrate and clarify their history, a subject very close to his heart... The maps and plates of the Parergon have to be evaluated as the most outstanding engravings depicting the wide-spread interest in classical geography in the 16th century."
The Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, which is considered the first true modern "Atlas". The work was published in 7 languages and 36 editions, for which - in 1570 - Ortelius obtained the privilege, a kind of copyright that prevented other cartographers from publishing his works. The Theatrum represented the most advanced work of cartographic description. Ortelius collected in it the geographical and cartographic knowledge of his time, proposing in 147 spectacular engraved plates the most faithful image of the world then known and, in some extraordinary "historical maps", regions and routes taken from literature, mythology, tradition.
Example with magnificent contemporary coloring, paper slightly browned, otherwise in excellent condition.
Bibliografia
Cfr. L. Bagrow, A. Ortelli Catalogus Cartographorum; cfr. C. Koeman, Atlantes Neerlandici; Peter H. Meurer, Fontes Cartographici Orteliani, n. 3p; M. Van den Broecke, Ortelius Atlas Maps, n. 215 II/II; Van der Krogt, Koeman’s Atantes Neerlandici: 7800H:31; G. Zacharkis (1974) A Catalogue of printed maps of Greece and the Greek regions, "Map Collector's Circle" nrs. 98, 102; G. Tolias (2006) Nikolaos Sophianos' "Totius Graeciae Descriptio": The Resources, Diffusion and Function of a 16th Century Antiquarian Map of Greece; "Imago Mundi" 58(2):150-182.
Abraham ORTELIUS (1528 - 1598)
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Abraham Ortel, better known as Ortelius, was born in Antwerp and after studying Greek, Latin and mathematics set up his business there with his sister, as a book dealer and 'painter of maps'. Travelling widely, especially to the great book fairs, his business prospered and he established contacts with many sultured men 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 in the production of 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 copy 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 Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Atlas of the Whole World). Although Lafreri and others in Italy had published collections of 'modern' maps in book form in earlier years, the Theatrum was the first uniformly sized, systematic collection of maps and hence can be called the first atlas, although that term itself was not used until twenty years later by Mercator.
The Theatrum, with most of its maps elegantly engraved by Frans Hogenberg, was an instant success and appeared in numerous editions in different languages including addenda issued from time to time incorporating the latest contemporary knowledge and discoveries. The final edition appeared in 1612. Unlike many of his contemporaries Ortelius noted his sources of information and in the first edition acknowledgement was made to eighty-seven different cartographers.
Apart from the modern maps in his major atlas, Ortelius himself compiled a series of historical maps known as the Parergon Theatri which appeared from 1579 onwards, sometimes as a separate publication and sometimes incorporated in the Theatrum.
1570 Theatrum Orbis Terrarum 1570-1612 Between these years the Theatrum was re-issued in 42 editions with 5 supplements with text in Latin, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian and English. The English edition was published in 1606 by John Norton, the maps being printed in Antwerp and the text added in London. Three years later Ortelius died in 1598, his heirs transferred publication rights to Jan Baptiste Vrients who produced the posthumous editions until he died in 1612
1577-85 Spiegel der Werelt (8vo) Maps from the Theatrum, reduced in size, engraved by Philip Galle: text by Pieter Heyns. 6 editions with Dutch, French and Latin text. 1588-i 603 Epitome theatri orbis terrarum (12mo/8v0) 11 further editions of the smaller maps with an increasing number of maps with text also in Italian and English (1603). i6oi-i 2 7 further editions with improved engravings by Arsenius Brothers: text by Michel Coignet in Latin, French, German, Italian and English (1603). 1598-1724 Theatro del Mondo (4t0/12mo/24mo) 8 editions with Italian text; plates engraved in Italy.
1579-1606 Parergon Theatri The number of maps included in the Parergon increased from 4 in 1579 to 43 in 1606 with text in Latin, French, Italian, German and English (1606) 1624 Re-issued in Antwerp as a separate publication by Balthasar Moretus. This edition included a reproduction of the Peutinger table.
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Abraham ORTELIUS (1528 - 1598)
|
Abraham Ortel, better known as Ortelius, was born in Antwerp and after studying Greek, Latin and mathematics set up his business there with his sister, as a book dealer and 'painter of maps'. Travelling widely, especially to the great book fairs, his business prospered and he established contacts with many sultured men 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 in the production of 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 copy 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 Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Atlas of the Whole World). Although Lafreri and others in Italy had published collections of 'modern' maps in book form in earlier years, the Theatrum was the first uniformly sized, systematic collection of maps and hence can be called the first atlas, although that term itself was not used until twenty years later by Mercator.
The Theatrum, with most of its maps elegantly engraved by Frans Hogenberg, was an instant success and appeared in numerous editions in different languages including addenda issued from time to time incorporating the latest contemporary knowledge and discoveries. The final edition appeared in 1612. Unlike many of his contemporaries Ortelius noted his sources of information and in the first edition acknowledgement was made to eighty-seven different cartographers.
Apart from the modern maps in his major atlas, Ortelius himself compiled a series of historical maps known as the Parergon Theatri which appeared from 1579 onwards, sometimes as a separate publication and sometimes incorporated in the Theatrum.
1570 Theatrum Orbis Terrarum 1570-1612 Between these years the Theatrum was re-issued in 42 editions with 5 supplements with text in Latin, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian and English. The English edition was published in 1606 by John Norton, the maps being printed in Antwerp and the text added in London. Three years later Ortelius died in 1598, his heirs transferred publication rights to Jan Baptiste Vrients who produced the posthumous editions until he died in 1612
1577-85 Spiegel der Werelt (8vo) Maps from the Theatrum, reduced in size, engraved by Philip Galle: text by Pieter Heyns. 6 editions with Dutch, French and Latin text. 1588-i 603 Epitome theatri orbis terrarum (12mo/8v0) 11 further editions of the smaller maps with an increasing number of maps with text also in Italian and English (1603). i6oi-i 2 7 further editions with improved engravings by Arsenius Brothers: text by Michel Coignet in Latin, French, German, Italian and English (1603). 1598-1724 Theatro del Mondo (4t0/12mo/24mo) 8 editions with Italian text; plates engraved in Italy.
1579-1606 Parergon Theatri The number of maps included in the Parergon increased from 4 in 1579 to 43 in 1606 with text in Latin, French, Italian, German and English (1606) 1624 Re-issued in Antwerp as a separate publication by Balthasar Moretus. This edition included a reproduction of the Peutinger table.
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