Publication of Joan Blaeu's Atlas Maior (1662)

In 1662, Dutch cartographer Joan Blaeu published the first volumes of the Atlas Maior in Amsterdam. This multi-volume work, issued in Latin and other languages between 1662 and 1672, represented the final and most extensive version of his atlas project, containing approximately 594 maps.

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Background and detail

Publication Context. Joan Blaeu, a Dutch cartographer and official cartographer for the Dutch East India Company, issued the Atlas Maior in Amsterdam. The work was published between 1662 and 1672, with the first volumes appearing in 1662. It served as the culmination of his cartographic career, building upon earlier works like the Atlas Novus.

Edition Details. The Atlas Maior was produced in multiple language editions, including Latin, French, Dutch, German, and Spanish. The Latin edition comprised 11 volumes, while other editions ranged from 9 to 12 volumes. The atlas contained 594 maps and approximately 3,000 pages of descriptive text, presenting a comprehensive geographical account of the known world.

Historical Significance. Widely regarded as one of the most ambitious atlases of the seventeenth century, the Atlas Maior is considered a major work of the Dutch Golden Age of cartography. It represented the final version of Blaeu's atlas project, intended as the first part of a much larger work describing earth, sea, and heaven.

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Sources

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