Niedersachsen

Article description

Hand-Colored Original Copperplate Engraving by Gerard Mercator, depicting Niedersachsen. Published Amsterdam, Jodocus Hondius, 1609. Sheet: 343 by 445mm (13 by 17 inches).. A fine and original hand-colored example of Mercator's celebrated cartographic work, documenting this region of Germany with the precision and decorative artistry characteristic of the 16000s. Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594) was the greatest cartographer of the 16th century. Born in Flanders, he invented the Mercator projection in 1569 -- a revolutionary cylindrical map projection still used in nautical charts today. He was the first to use the word 'atlas' for a collection of maps, honouring the Titan who held up the world. His 1585 atlas of France, Germany, and the Low Countries was the first in a series that would be completed and republished by his heirs and successors, most notably Hondius and Janssonius. Mercator maps are prized by collectors for their historical importance and elegant Renaissance engraving, and are held in leading institutions including the BibliothËque nationale de France and the British Library. This original copperplate engraving, with original hand coloring depicts the region of Niedersachsen, published in Amsterdam, Jodocus Hondius, 1609. The map features a decorative Baroque cartouche containing the title inscription. A distance scale is incorporated within the cartouche or alongside it. The map records the political and geographic boundaries of the region as understood in 1609, offering a fascinating window into the history of German territorial organization. Sheet measures 343 by 445mm (13 by 17 inches).. In good condition overall, with minor signs of age appropriate for a 17th-century engraving. Ready to frame.

Niedersachsen - Gerard Mercator ∑ Hand-Colored Original Copperplate Engraving ∑ Amsterdam 1609