The dictionary Van Dale describes cartography as: “the
art of manufacturing maps of countries, seas and air. Manufacturing
maps is one of the senior and most particular forms of communication.
Clay tablets (around 2300 v. C.) are support the fact that
the Babylonians carried out land surveying. Claudius Ptolemaeus
(87 - 150 n.C.), known as Ptolemy, is especially known by
his work 'Cosmographia' or 'Geographia', a guide for making
maps including a list of the geographical lengths and breadths
of approx. 350 places. He was world famous at the end of the
15th century, when his maps appeared in an atlas. These maps
were a source of geographical data for men like Columbus,
Caboto, Magalhães, Drake and Vespucci.
The age of the great discoveries, the years between 1500
and 1700, provided mapmakers with more accurate information.
The renewed maps became to be strategic documents. Mapmakers
often had to be sworn to secrecy, they had to work in isolation
and they had to protect their maps with their lives. These
maps were very anxiously protected. When a ship was boarded,
the maps were preserved in a heavy bag which was thrown into
the sea! When a new place was discovered, of course, maps
and borders were changed.
Giving a list with all the important mapmakers is an
almost hopeless task. However, it is good to see that in those
beautiful ingenious maps God's name often appeared.
Willem and Joannes Blaeu.
Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571, Uitgeest or Alkmaar – Oct
21, 1638, Amsterdam), also abbreviated to Willem Jansz. Blaeu,
was a Dutch cartographer, atlas maker and publisher. After
his education at the school of the Danish astronomer Tycho
Brahe, he settled in Alkmaar, making sea maps and globes.
Later on he moved to Amsterdam. He was always up-to-date because
of his close contacts with captains, sailors and captain of
barges. In 1633 he was appointed map-maker of the Dutch East
India Company. He died in 1638. His son Joan Blaeu (Alkmaar,
Sept. 23, 1596 - Amsterdam, Mai 28, 1673) continued the family
business together with his younger brother Cornelis.
|
Willem Janszoon Blaeu
1571 - 1638 |
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus in quo Tabulæ
et Descriptiones Omnium Regionum, Editæ a Guiljel: et
Ioanne Blaeu. Translated: Theater of the World, or a New Atlas
of Maps and Representations of All Regions, Edited by Willem
and Joan Blaeu.” This Latin edition was published in
4 volumes beginning in 1645. On top God's name is written
in Hebrew with masoretical vowels.
The Visscher House
The Visscher family, also known as "the Visscher
House", were important manufacturers of atlases and maps
in the 17th century.
The founder of the family business was Claes Janszoon
Visscher (1587 - 1652). In the beginning the aim was to decorate
the maps of Blaeu en Hondius. Then he started with his own
printing and manufacturing of maps. The Visscher House became
well-known because of the many historical prints, maps and
etchings. After his death, his only son Nicolaes 1618-1679)
continued his work. In 1677 Nicolaes obtained a 15-year lasting
patent on making maps for the state of Holland and the state
of West Frisia.
Comitatus Hollandiæ denuo
forma Leonis
Also known as Leo Hollandicus (Lion of
Holland). The territory on these maps was depicted as a lion.
On the top of the image (beneath in the middle) God's name
can be seen, also here written with vowels.
