Norvegiae Maritimae ab Elf-burgo ad Dronten / Pascaert van Noorwegen streckende van Elf-burg tot Dronten

Title

Norvegiae Maritimae ab Elf-burgo ad Dronten / Pascaert van Noorwegen streckende van Elf-burg tot Dronten

Description

Map shows the Norwegian coast between Trondheim and Swedish border to Oslo

ca. 1670

Artist

Wit, de (1610-1698)

Frederik de Wit (1610 – 1698). His Atlas began to appear around 1662 and by 1671 included anywhere from 17 to 151 maps each. In the 1690s he began to use a new title page "Atlas Maior" but continued to use his old title page. His atlas of the Low Countries first published in 1667,was named Nieuw Kaertboeck van de XVII Nederlandse Provinciën and contained 14 to 25 maps. Frederik de Wit quickly expanded upon his first small folio atlas which contained mostly maps printed from plates that he had acquired, to an atlas with 27 maps engraved by or for him. By 1671 he was publishing a large folio atlas with as many as 100 maps. Smaller atlases of 17 or 27 or 51 maps could still be purchased and by the mid-1670s an atlas of as many as 151 maps and charts could be purchased from his shop. In ca.1675 Frederik de Wit released a new nautical atlas. The charts in this atlas replaced the earlier charts from 1664 that are known today in only four bound examples and a few loose copies. Frederik de Wit new charts were sold in a chart book and as part of his atlases. Frederik de Wit published no fewer than 158 land maps and 43 charts on separate folio sheets. In 1695 Frederik de Wit began to publish a town atlas of the Netherlands after he acquired a large number of city plans at the auction of the famous Blaeu publishing firm’s printing plates. Dating Frederik de Wit atlases is considered difficult because usually no dates were recorded on the maps and their dates of publication extended over many years.

Historical Description

The history of Europe from the 15th to the 19th century was shaped by profound political, social, and cultural changes that formed modern Europe. At the beginning of the 15th century, Europe was marked by the effects of the Middle Ages and the feudal structure. A significant event was the Renaissance, which began around 1400 in Italy and marked a revival of classical ancient culture, art, and sciences. The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440 was also revolutionary and promoted the spread of knowledge. By the end of the century, European explorers, such as Christopher Columbus, began finding new trade routes, which led to the discovery of the New World. The 16th century was defined by the Reformation, when Martin Luther published his 95 Theses in 1517, challenging the Catholic Church. This led to religious conflicts and the division of Western Christianity into Catholics and Protestants. Politically, Europe saw the rise of the Habsburg Empire and the development of nation-states such as France and England. The age of exploration continued, leading to a new wave of colonization. The 17th century was a time of wars and political instability, including the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), which devastated much of Europe. These conflicts resulted in significant territorial changes and the establishment of the modern Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. During this time, Absolutism took root, with monarchs like Louis XIV of France exercising absolute power. The 18th century was marked by the ideas of the Enlightenment, which emphasized reason, science, and individual freedom. This led to profound political and social reforms. At the same time, major wars such as the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714) and the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) took place. The century ended with the events of the French Revolution (1789), which overthrew the monarchy and established the Republic. This paved the way for the Napoleonic Wars and the Napoleonic Era, which triggered political and social upheavals throughout Europe. The 19th century was shaped by the aftermath of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, which reshaped Europe's political system. After Napoleon's defeat in 1815, Europe was reorganized at the Congress of Vienna. Nationalism and Liberalism grew, leading to significant political upheavals, including the German Confederation, the unification of Italy, and the formation of the German Empire in 1871. At the same time, industrialization and urbanization began, significantly altering Europe's economic and social structure. The 19th century ended with the outbreak of World War I in 1914, which shattered the entire European power structure and many social systems.