Bilder Gerhard Mercator (1512–1594) – Map of Holland – Netherlands – Engraving (1633)

Beskrivning

"Hollandiae Antiquorum Catthorum Sedis Nova Descriptio" provides a detailed cartographic view of the County of Holland, oriented with East at the top. The map encompasses the coastal regions from the Zuyder Zee to the North Sea, showing the intricate network of rivers, dikes, and islands that define the Dutch landscape. This engraving is from the Mercator-Hondius Atlas, published by Henricus Hondius and Jan Janssonius in Amsterdam. The composition is richly decorated with a large compass rose with radiating rhumb lines in the Zuyder Zee, sailing vessels in the German Ocean, a strapwork title cartouche, and a large pair of dividers over a distance scale.

Gerhard Mercator was a preeminent Flemish cartographer and geographer who revolutionized the field of mapmaking during the sixteenth century. He is widely celebrated for the Mercator projection, which became an essential tool for nautical navigation by allowing sailors to plot straight-line courses. Mercator was also the first to compile a systematic collection of maps under the title Atlas, a project that was continued and expanded posthumously by his family and later by the Hondius publishing firm. His maps are recognized for their scientific accuracy, elegant engraving style, and clear topographical detail. He remains a foundational figure in the history of science and the development of modern global cartography.

Artist or Maker:
Gerhard Mercator.

Dimensions:
Approximately 57 cm x 42 cm.

Medium:
Engraving.

Date:
1633.

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.