Andreas Cellarius

A 17th century chart of the paths of Venus and Mercury.

• Andreas Cellarius (Dutch).
• Theoria Veneris et Mercurii.
• Amsterdam: Jan Jansson, 1660. 
• Original color with additions.
• Unframed.

A fine celestial diagram showing the apparent paths of Venus and Mercury as seen from Earth, within a border of winged windheads, cherubs and other allegorical figures.

It was engraved by Jan van Loon and published in the "Atlas Coelestis; seu Harmonia Macrocosmica," the only celestial atlas to be produced in the Netherlands before the nineteenth century. It was a compilation of maps of the Ptolemaic universe and the more modern theories of Copernicus and Brahe, and remains the finest and most highly decorative celestial atlas ever produced.

This example is from the first edition of the atlas; in 1661, a plate number was added to the bottom right.