Abraham ortelius map series#

In selecting maps for his compilation, Ortelius was guided by his critical spirit and his encyclopaedic knowledge of maps. To that end, maps of various formats and styles had to be generalized just like the modern atlas publisher of today would do. Another important aspect is that it was the first undertaking of its kind to reduce the best available maps to a uniform format.

The characteristic feature of the Theatrum is that it consists of two elements, text and maps. Shape and contents set the standard for later atlases, when the centre of the map trade moved from Antwerp to Amsterdam. The unique position held by Ortelius's 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 a great contribution to ‘geographical culture' throughout Europe at the end of the sixteenth century. On the basis of his extensive travels through Europe and with the help of his international circle of friends, Ortelius was able to build a collection of the most up-to-date maps available. Geography for him was the ‘eye of history', which may explain why, in addition to coins and historical objects, he also collected maps. His scientific and collecting interests developed in harmony with those of a merchant. Later, he became a seller of books, prints and maps. 'The maker of the ‘first atlas', the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (1570), started his career as a colorist of maps.

Abraham ortelius map series#

Unlike many of his contemporaries Ortelius noted his sources of information and in the first edition acknowledgement was made to eighty-seven different cartographers.Īpart 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.' 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.

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. 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.Ī 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). Traveling widely, especially to the great book fairs, his business prospered and he established contacts with the literati in many lands.

'Abraham Ortel, better known as Ortelius, was born in Antwerp and after studying Greek, Latin and mathematics set up business there with his sister, as a book dealer and ‘painter of maps'. In 1570 he published the first comprehensive collection of maps of all parts of the world, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum ('Theatre of the World'), the first modern atlas as we know it. Abraham Ortelius is the most famous and most collected of all early cartographers.