Book Description
This book presents a carefully curated selection from Atlas Maior, the monumental masterpiece completed in 1665 by the 17th-century master cartographer Joan Blaeu, featuring all 64 maps of France from the original work. It invites readers to return to the pinnacle of Baroque cartographic art. Widely regarded as one of the most exquisite and ambitious world atlases ever produced, Atlas Maior represents not only the height of geographical knowledge of its time, but also a cultural achievement that fuses art, science, and political imagination.
The original Atlas Maior was published as an eleven-volume Latin edition containing 594 maps, covering the Arctic, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. At the time, it was the largest and most comprehensive world atlas ever created. Its production was closely tied to the intense competition within the 17th-century Dutch cartographic world: in striving to surpass his rival Joanes Janssonius, Blaeu produced an unprecedented and definitive work that secured his enduring position in the history of mapmaking.
This edition is reproduced from the Austrian National Library (Vienna)’s exceptional copy, distinguished by its hand colouring and gold-heightened details. Through high-quality reproduction, the book faithfully captures the delicate line work, rich colour layers, and ornamental features of the original maps, ensuring the highest possible visual and historical quality.
In addition to the maps themselves, the book includes original quotations by Blaeu related to the individual maps, accompanied by newly written scholarly commentary by renowned cartography historian Peter van der Krogt. His text explores the historical background, cultural significance, and political context of the maps, guiding readers into the intellectual world of early modern cartography. The text is presented in French, English, and German, combining academic depth with international accessibility.
More than a superb facsimile of historical maps, this book offers an essential lens through which to understand early modern European worldviews, concepts of statehood, and the development of cartographic art. It is an invaluable volume for readers in art history, historical geography, and cultural studies, as well as for collectors and enthusiasts of antique maps and fine bookmaking.
Details
Authors: Peter van der Krogt, Joan Blaeu
Publisher: TASCHEN
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 38 × 25 cm
Pages: 208