Rhenus, Mosella, Vahalis, Mosa & Reliqui ...
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Blaeu's magnificent and rare map of the Rhine and surrounding lands appeared only in the 1634 and 1635 editions of the "Novus Atlas", being replaced by a specifically designed map of the river which appeared in atlases from 1635 onwards. The map is dominated by a large twin-headed eagle with the arms of the Hapsburgs and the imperial crown of the Holy Roman Empire, beneath which a distance scale is attended by a winged cherub holding a pair of compasses. The apparently oversize Eagle reflects the fascinating background to this map - a composite of sheets from Willem Blaeu's very rare, six-sheet wall map of all Germany, published in 1612. Blaeu has taken the lower left section and, by cutting and pasting edging sheets, created a spectacular map which folded into the atlas. The separately printed letterpress title in the upper right corner was added, as an overslip, at the time of production. As a consequence of its composite nature, the map shows evidence of wear at the folds and joins. Nevertheless, this is a visually stunning and fascinating example of the ingenuity and resourcefulness of one of the greatest mapmakers of any period.
region: Maps of Germany |
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