Luxemburgensis Ducatus, tam in ejusdem minores, quam principales Ditiones peraccurate Distinctus,…

Title

Luxemburgensis Ducatus, tam in ejusdem minores, quam principales Ditiones peraccurate Distinctus,…

Description

Map shows Luxembourg with its neighbouring countries and a magnificent coat of arms cartouche.

ca. 1660

Artist

Visscher (1618-1679)

Nicolaes Visscher I (1618 -1679) Amsterdam was a Dutch engraver, cartographer and publisher. He belonged to the Dutch art dealer, engraver and publisher dynasty founded by his father Claes Janszoon Visscher. After his father's death in 1652, he took over his father's art publishing house and initially continued publishing the atlases and maps that his father had begun. He then began publishing works under his own name. Together with his son Nicolaes Visscher II (1649-1702), he engraved a large number of printing plates, further replenishing the publisher's stock. The atlases "Atlas Contractus", "Atlas Minor" and "Germania Inferior" contain about 170 plates. After N. Visscher's death, some of Visscher's copper plates passed to Petrus Schenk II (1693-1775), who used them for numerous reprints.

Historical Description

Luxembourg has undergone a remarkable development throughout its history. From a small county in the Middle Ages to a strategically important area during the major wars of Europe, and eventually to a modern, prosperous country within the European Union, Luxembourg has established itself as an independent and stable state. The early history of Luxembourg was strongly shaped by Roman and later Frankish rule. During the Roman period, the area was part of the empire, and in the Middle Ages, it belonged to the Frankish kingdoms. In 1354, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV elevated Luxembourg to a duchy, making it an important territorial possession in the Holy Roman Empire. In the 16th century, Luxembourg came under the control of the Habsburgs, who held both the Spanish and Austrian inheritances. Under Spanish rule, Luxembourg was used as a strategic point in the wars between Spain and the Netherlands. In 1795, during the French Revolution, Luxembourg was conquered by the French and incorporated into the French Empire. In 1839, after the Belgian Revolution, Luxembourg was divided between Belgium and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The western part of the country fell to Belgium, while the eastern part remained with the Netherlands. This division shaped Luxembourg's modern geographical boundaries and gave it its current form. Today, Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy and one of the wealthiest countries in the world.