Bilder Henricus Hondius (1597-1651) – Map of Poitou – France – Hand-coloured engraving (1635)

Beskrivning

"Poictou - Pictaviensis Comitatus." This hand-coloured map provides a detailed cartographic representation of the historical province of Poitou in western France. The composition features a grand, decorative title cartouche in the upper right, adorned with a fleur-de-lis and flanked by stylized greenery. In the lower center, a distinctive figured scale is held by a cherub or putto leaning over a pedestal. The map illustrates the region's rugged coastline along the Bay of Biscay ("La Mer Aquitanique"), major river systems, and numerous towns and forests. Administrative boundaries are highlighted with delicate hand-colouring. This engraving was published in the Atlas Novus in Amsterdam, a cornerstone of seventeenth-century cartography produced by the partnership of Henricus Hondius and Johannes Janssonius.

Henricus Hondius was a prominent Dutch engraver and cartographer who expanded his family's influential publishing house in Amsterdam. Following the legacy of his father, Jodocus Hondius, he worked to update and refine the Mercator-Hondius atlas series, incorporating the latest geographical discoveries. He is celebrated for his technical precision and his ability to blend scientific accuracy with the artistic elegance characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age of map-making. His collaborations with Johannes Janssonius allowed their firm to produce some of the most widely circulated and authoritative atlases of the era.

Artist or Maker: Henricus Hondius.

Dimensions: Approximately 48 cm x 56 cm.

Medium: Hand-coloured engraving.

Date: 1635.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.