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Ortelius was appointed as the geographer to Philip II of Spain in 1575. In this posthumous edition of 1603, it contained 183 names.” In the first edition of 1570 the list included 87 names. Ortelius and his successors kept his list of map authors up-to-date. This “Catalogus auctorum tabularum geographicarum”, is one of the major peculiarities of the atlas. Beside this he added the names of many other carthographers and geographers to his list. the original mapmakers), thus introducing for the first time the concept of footnoting to Western scholarship. Further, the Theatrum was the first major printed work of any kind to include scholarly citations of authorities (i.e. Ortelius reduced the best available maps to a uniform format.
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The Theatrum consists of two elements text and maps. According to the Paulus Swaen Auction & Gallery: “It was the first uniformly sized, systematic collection of maps of the countries of the world based only on contemporary knowledge since the days of Ptolemy, and in that sense may be called the first modern atlas,” R.V. Enlarged and kept up to date in successive editions until late 1612, the Theatrum appears to have been the most popular atlas of its time.” “Flipping through the pages, you may also notice a sea monster or two in the water – these mythical creatures were a subject of fascination in Ortelius’ generation, and often appeared alongside the ever changing landscapes of the atlas maps,” Google writes.Īccording to Britannica, Theatrum “contained 70 maps derived from 87 authorities and engraved in a uniform style. Ortelius published the first modern atlas, known as the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, which translates to Theatre of the World, on May 20, 1570. Ortelius Published the ‘First Modern Atlas’ on May 20, 1570, Known as the ‘Theatrum Orbis Terrarum’Ĭirca 1595, A map of Japan by the Flemish geographer and cartographer Abraham Ortelius, (1527 – 1598). Mean-while he did not confine himself entirely to trafficking in charts,” Joseph Fischer writes for .ģ. “This trading in maps was probably one of the chief reasons for his unusually extended trips to Germany, England, Italy, and particularly for his annual visits to the great fair at Leipzig.
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By purchasing as valuable maps as possible, mounting them on canvas, coloring, and reselling them, he managed to assist in supporting the family, as may be gleaned from a contemporary letter.” His travels throughout Europe helped him begin his work compiling and publishing maps. According to a biography on, “When twenty years of age he joined a guild as a colorer of charts. He also traveled around Europe selling books, prints and maps. Luke as an illuminator of maps and worked as an engraver.
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Within a decade he compiled maps of the world on a heart-shaped projection (1564), of Egypt (1565), and of Asia (1567),” according to Britannica. About 1560, under the influence of Gerardus Mercator, Ortelius became interested in mapmaking.
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“Trained as an engraver, Ortelius about 1554 set up his book and antiquary business. Ortelius began his career as a map engraver. Ortelius Was Born in Antwerp in Modern-Day Belgium in 1527 Here’s to Abraham Ortelius, whose cartographic innovation helped give all a truly global view.”ġ.
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Google continues, “Adding his fellow scientists’ names to the atlas wasn’t just a professional courtesy – Ortelius was known for corresponding with prominent scientists and humanists from all over Europe, a practice that yielded much insight into the great thinkers of his time. “As every atlas is an aggregation of many maps, Ortelius was also one of the first cartographers to consistently add sources and names to the creators of the original maps, as evidenced by the first map pictured in today’s animated Doodle.” “Long before we were able to map the world and put it online, Abraham Ortelius made a lasting impact by collecting the latest information from scientists, geographers, and cartographers and transforming it into what the world now knows as the modern day atlas,” Google writes in its Doodle description. Abraham Ortelius is being celebrated with a Google Doodle.Ībraham Ortelius, a Flemish cartographer and geographer who is credited with creating the first modern day atlas, is being celebrated with a Google Doodle on May 20, 2018.
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