Ortelius. Theatrum oder Schawplatz des Erdtbodems. 1572-[73]. Rare German edition

ORTELIUS, ABRAHAM

Theatrum oder Schawplatz des Erdbodems, warin das die Landttafell der gantzen welt, mitt sambt ainer der selben kurtze erklarung zu ersehn ist. (Colophon: Antwerp: Gielis von Diest, 1572-[1573])

Second German edition, folio (415 x 286mm.), engraved title with the text printed on a slip and pasted on, 5 leaves of text, 53 double-page engraved maps, fine contemporary hand-colour, recent vellum to style, elaborately gilt, lacking 'Additamentum' (16 maps) and text leaves at end ('Urlaub des Authors' and 'Register'), some damp-staining, (mostly affecting maps from 37-53), minor repairs and occasional loss

A VERY RARE GERMAN EDITION.

Abraham Ortelius (1527-1595) is one of the most influential cartographers of the 16th century. His Theatrum is widely recognised as the first modern atlas, which came to shape the future of cartography. "Shape and contents set the standards for later atlases, when the centre of the map-trade moved from Antwerp to Amsterdam. The characteristic feature of the Theatrum is, that it consists of two elements, forming part of a unitary whole: text and maps. This concept for a 'Theatre of the world' was followed through the 17th century. Before Ortelius no one had done this" (Koeman). 

"The publication of this atlas [Theatrum, 1570] marked an epoch in the history of cartography. It was the first uniformly sized, systematic collection of maps of the countries of the world based only on contemporary knowledge" (Tooley).

LITERATURE:

cf. Koeman Ort 11 (variation in title-page (dated 1573), and with Additamentum)

PROVENANCE:

Old signature to foot of title, crossed out; "C.A.", crowned ink stamp to title; unidentified armorial bookplate