Theatrvm orbis terrarvm /
Abrahami OrtelI Antverp. geographi regii ; tabvlis aliqvot novis vitaq. avctoris illvstratvm.

Description

Main Author

Ortelius, Abraham, 1527-1598.

Related Names

Llwyd, Humphrey, 1527-1568.
Vrients, Jan Baptista, 1552-1612.
Jode, Gerard de, 1509-1591.
Wierix, Antonie, 16th cent.
Arsenius, Ferdinand, fl. 1589-1628.
Arsenius, Ambroise, fl. 1589-1628.
Hogenberg, Frans, ca. 1539-1590.
Sweerts, Pierre François, 1567-1629.

Language(s)

Latin

Published

Antverpiae : Apvd Ioannem Bapt. Vrintivm, anno M.D.CIII. [1603]

Edition

Editio vltima.

Subjects

Ortelius, Abraham, > Ortelius, Abraham, / 1527-1598.
Geography > Geography / Early works to 1800.
Anglesey (Wales) > Anglesey (Wales) / Description and travel > Anglesey (Wales) / Description and travel / Early works to 1800.
Engravings > Engravings / Belgium > Engravings / Belgium / 16th century.
World atlases > World atlases / Belgium > World atlases / Belgium / 16th century.

Note

Signatures: A-C⁶ D⁴ a⁴ ²A-C⁶.
"De Mona Drvidvm insvla ... epistola ... Hvmfredi Lhvyd" (²C4r-²C5v).
In addition to contemporary maps, the second sequence of plates includes representations of the Holy Land, the Roman empire, and the lands traveled by Jason, Ulysses, Aeneas, Abraham, Alexander, and St. Paul. Plates xvij-xviij depict richly costumed male figures with armorial shields of the constituent territories of the Holy Roman Empire, beginning with those of the electors; plate xviij is signed: Gerard de Jode exc., Anton. Wierinx fec. Includes one view of a building, the Escorial. Vrients was responsible for adding 7 of these sheets; see Koeman.
"Parergon, sive veteris geograpiae [sic] aliqvot tabvlae" and "Nomenclator Ptolemaicvs" have special t.p.'s. the latter with imprint: Antverpiae : Typis Roberti Brvneau, M.DCIII. Between these sections is a second sequence of double-page plates, hinged onto stubs at the center fold. They are numbered j-xl but include 2 single sheets of letterpress (xij, xvj), making a total of 38 plates.
First sequence of double-page maps numbered 1-118, mounted on stubs at the center fold. The rectos of first leaves of the resulting bifolia have printed text and plate number, most versos of second leaves are blank. On some plates two or more geographical regions are depicted, resulting altogether in 167 distinct maps. Legends of most maps credit the author whose work Ortelius adapted.
Life of Ortelius by Franciscus Sweerts, ¹A4r-¹A5r.
Engraved t.p. with female allegories of the 5 continents; they are explained in Adolf van Meetkercke's "Frontispicii explicatio" (¹A2v-¹A3v). On t.p. verso is coat of arms of Philip II, King of Spain, to whom the work is dedicated. Engraving of Ortelius' tomb, ¹A5v, and his port., D4v.
At the end of the preface (¹C1v-¹C2v) Ortelius credits Francis Hogenberg and the brothers Ferdinand & Ambrosius Arsenius with engraving nearly all the plates.
First ed. published Antwerp, 1570.

Physical Description

[24], [8], [4], 30, [6] p. (the last blank), 118, [38] folded sheets of plates : ill., coat of arms, maps, port. ; 47 cm. (fol.)

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