Lot No. 1: MERCATOR/HONDIUS

MERCATOR/HONDIUS

INS CEILAN QUE INCOLIS TENARISIN

Year: 1606

Size: 18.7 x 22.7 inches

Year: 1606

Size: 47.7 x 57.7cm (18.7 x 22.7 inches)

Earliest map of Sri Lanka with north oriented to the left by an especially elaborate compass rose, and shown with an unusual five-sided shape. In 1606, Hondius introduced this separate map of Ceylon in the Mercator Atlas - Atlas sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi et fabricati figura. It was prepared by Petrus Plancius who was at the time the official map maker of the V.O.C.

The map is exquisitely engraved with pictorial detail of mountains, roads, forests, villages, kingdoms, mines, stupas and spice plantations. It is embellished with three baroque cartouches. A ship sail the seas, and animals roam the interior (including a large elephant being ridden by a man).
French text on verso.

Gerard Mercator (1512-1594) was an accomplished mathematician, cartographer, globe maker and engraver best known for the Mercator Projection. Incorporating the newly accepted fact that the world is round, Mercator was able to render longitude lines consistently straight on a chart. Although this requires some distortion, it was of great use for navigators; furthermore, it has since become historically important, as it is still the most commonly used projection today. Originally created by Mercator, this plate was issued after his death by the prominent engraver and instrument-maker Jodocus Hondius, who republished Mercator's work in many languages and editions. Although their partnership was only indirect, Mercator and Hondius are one of the most significant pairs in the history of mapmaking. He helped establish Amsterdam as the center of cartography in Europe in the 17th century.

Jodocus Hondius the Elder (1563-1612) Joost d?Hondt was born at Wakken (Flanders) in 1563. Due to the circumstances of the war, he moved to London in 1584, where he settled down as an engraver, instrument-maker, and map-maker. The political situation in the Northern Netherlands in 1593 was such that Jodocus seemed justified in establishing himself in Amsterdam, where many Antwerp printers, publishers, and engravers had gone. In this new centre of cartography, Jodocus Hondius set up his business 'In de Wackere Hondt' (in the vigilant dog), this name being an allusion to his birthplace and name. He engraved many maps and published atlases and many other works, such as his continuation of Gerard Mercator's Atlas. He suddenly passed away in February 1612. The publishing firm of Jodocus Hondius was continued by his widow, later on, by his two sons, Jodocus Jr. and Henricus, and by his son-in law, J. Janssonius.

Jodocus Hondius II (1594-1629) & Henricus Hondius (1597-1651) After the father's death, the widow and her seven children continued publishing the atlases under the name of Jodocus Hondius till 1620. The firm was reinforced by the very welcome help of Joannes Janssonius (1588-1664), who married 24-year-old Elisabeth Hondius in 1612. After 1619, Mercator's Atlas was published under the name of Henricus Hondius.
One of the most dramatic events in the early history of commercial cartography in Amsterdam was the sale of Jodocus Hondius Jr. s copper plates to Willem Jansz. Blaeu in 1629, the year of his death. At least 34 plates, from which Jodocus II had printed single-sheet maps for his benefit, passed into the hands of his great competitor. Immediately after that, his brother, Henricus, and Joannes Janssonius ordered the engraving of identical plates. Henricus devoted all his energy to publishing the Atlas for an extended period. He saw its growth up to and including the fourth part in 1646; after that, his name no longer figures on the title pages. After 1638, the title of the Atlas was changed to Atlas Novus; Joannes Janssonius mainly carried it on.
The competition with the Blaeu's dates from 1630. In 1630, Willem Janszoon (=Blaeu) first attacked with his Atlantis Appendix. In 1635, Blaeu completed his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum in two volumes with French, Latin, Dutch, and German texts, prompting Henricus Hondius to speed up the enlargement of his Atlas.

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Provenance : Collection of a Gentleman

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