Braunschweig (Herzogtum)

Article description

Hand-Colored Original Copperplate Engraving by Abraham Ortelius, depicting Braunschweig (Herzogtum). Published Antwerpen, 1602. Sheet: 31 x 23,4 cm (12.25 x 9,25 inches).. A fine and original hand-colored example of Ortelius's celebrated cartographic work, documenting this region of Germany with the precision and decorative artistry characteristic of the 16000s. Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) was a Flemish cartographer and geographer from Antwerp, widely regarded as the creator of the first modern atlas. His landmark publication Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (1570) set the standard for atlas-making for the next century, presenting uniform copper-engraved maps with scholarly commentary. By Ortelius's death, the Theatrum had appeared in 25 editions in seven languages. In 1575, King Philip II of Spain appointed him Royal Geographer. His maps, engraved with extraordinary precision, are among the most sought-after in antique cartography, held in collections including the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp, the Library of Congress, and the British Library. This plate presents a original copperplate engraving, with original hand coloring depicting the city of Braunschweig (Herzogtum), published in Antwerpen, 1602. The view is framed with a decorative Baroque cartouche containing the title inscription. Such topographic views from Ortelius's workshop are primary historical documents of German urban history in the 1600s, now prized equally by historians, map collectors, and interior decorators. Sheet measures 31 x 23,4 cm (12.25 x 9,25 inches).. In good condition overall, with minor signs of age appropriate for a 17th-century engraving. Retains its original contemporary hand coloring. Ready to frame.

Braunschweig (Herzogtum) - Abraham Ortelius ∑ Hand-Colored Original Copperplate Engraving ∑ Antwerpen 1602

Koem. Ort. 33