Europam, sive celticam veterem sic describere conabar Abrah. Ortelius

Title

Europam, sive celticam veterem sic describere conabar Abrah. Ortelius

Description

Map shows totoal Europa with 2 beautiful Cartouches

dated 1595

Artist

Ortelius (1527-1598)

Abraham Ortelius, (1527 - 1598) Antwerp, comes from an Augsburg family and was born in Antwerp, Spain, where he lived throughout his life. After thorough training, he joined the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke in 1547 as a card painter. In 1554 he took over an antiquarian bookshop that mainly deals with the coloring, distribution and publishing of maps. Basically he is more of a publisher than a scholar. And so he also made the acquaintance of another great man of his time, Gerhard Mercator (1512-1594), who encouraged him to draw cards and to make maps of the most varied of countries. His first cartographic work of his own is a large 8-sheet map of the world that appears in Antwerp in 1564. This is followed by a two-sheet map of Egypt (1565) and another of Asia (1567). The great achievement of Ortelius, who was one of the most famous European cartographers of his time, and the enthusiastic reception of his theater, mark a decisive turning point in the history of the world map. The new path is mapped out with the Theatrum. For the general view of the world, the appearance of Ortelius-Theatrum is important insofar as it emphatically confirms that America is a completely independent continent, which is also not connected to the Asian mainland mass at its northern tip. Ortelius was the first to come up with the idea of ​​producing a handy collection of reliable maps, all kept in the same format and only by the same author for each country. These sheets could also be bound into a book for easy storage and use. Mercator, who also realized the idea of ​​a world atlas from 1569, persuaded his friend to publish the famous Theatrum Orbis Terrarrum. Ortelius collected, traveled, corresponded and negotiated for 10 years before he could have his work printed in the best European printing house (Plantijn / Amsterdam). In addition to technical difficulties, Ortelius had to submit to the political / religious conditions, since maps were also subject to strict scrutiny during the Inquisition. Biblical scenes are pleasant, portraits of outstanding Catholics are welcome, but not family coats of arms or other emblems that could be politically suspect. On May 20, 1570, his first edition of the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first collection of maps in book form, was published, financed and edited by Gillis Hooftman, an Antwerp merchant, banker and shipowner. Atlases did not yet have this name at that time. This collection was published between 1570 and 1612 in 42 editions and in 7 languages: Latin, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, English and Italian. Unlike his professional colleagues, he clearly referenced the sources of his maps and texts. The work contains, among other things, an illustration of the world known until 1492 and was therefore already looking back at the time the map was created.

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.