Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. (Colophon) Auctoris aere & cura impressum absolutumque apud Aegid. Coppenium Diest, Antverpiae M.D.LXX

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Description

Type of resource cartographic
Form unmediated; volume
Extent 1 atlas : 53 maps ; 42 x 30 cm.
Place Netherlands
Place Antwerp
Publisher Gielis Coppens van Diest
Publication date 1570; 1570
Issuance monographic
Language Latin

Creators/Contributors

Associated with Ortelius, Abraham, 1527-1598.
Associated with Hogenberg, Frans.

Subjects

Subject Atlases > Early works to 1800
Subject World maps > Early works to 1800
Genre Atlas
Genre Cartographic image
Genre World atlases.
Genre Maps
Genre World maps.
Genre Early maps.

Bibliographic information

Note First edition of the first atlas of the world. From Koeman: "The unique position held by Ortelius' Theatrum in the history of cartography is to be attributed primarily to its qualification as 'the world's first regularly produced atlas.' Its great commercial success 'enabled it to make so great a contribution to geographical culture throughout Europe in the later 16th century.' (Skelton). Shape and contents set the standards for later atlases, when the centre of the map-trade moved from Antwerp to Amsterdam. The characteristic feature of the Theatrum is, that it consists of two elements, forming a unitary whole: text and maps. This concept for a "Theatre of the world" was followed through the 17th century. Before Ortelius, no one and done this and thus, the chorus of praise which arose as a result of this - and the excellent text - was far from slight... Another important aspect of the Theatrum is that it was the first undertaking of its kind to reduce the best available maps to a uniform format. To that end, maps of various formats and styles had to be generalized just like the modern atlas-publisher of today would do. In selecting maps for his compilation, Ortelius was guided by his critical spirit and his encyclopaedic knowledge of maps. But Ortelius did more that the atlas-makers of today: he mentioned the names of the authors of the original maps and added a great many names of other cartographers and geographers to it... Abraham Ortelius drew all his maps in manuscript before passing them to the engravers... Ortelius stated that nearly all the plates were cut by Frans Hogenberg and his assistants." The Theatrum went through many editions in Latin, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, English, and Italian. Van der Krogt lists 37 editions, with the last edition published in 1641, long after Ortelius' death in 1598. Uncolored. Text in Latin.
Note References: Koeman Ort 1B; Van der Krogt 31:001B (with colophon 31:001C). See Dr. Marcel van den Broecke web site for excellent listing of all Ortelius maps http://orteliusmaps.com/ortindexnumber.html
Note World Atlas.
Local note Pub list no.: 10000.000.
Location https://purl.stanford.edu/np593hr6132
Location electronic resource

Access conditions

Use and reproduction
Image from the David Rumsey Map Collection courtesy Stanford University Libraries. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce commercially, please contact the David Rumsey Map Center at rumseymapcenter@stanford.edu.
Copyright
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License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC-SA).

Collection

David Rumsey Map Collection at Stanford University Libraries

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