{"title":"Abraham Orelius","description":"\u003cp\u003eAbraham Ortelius is perhaps the best known and most frequently collected of all sixteenth-century mapmakers. Ortelius started his career as a map colorist. In 1547 he entered the Antwerp guild of St Luke as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eafsetter van Karten\u003c\/em\u003e. His early career was as a business man, and most of his journeys before 1560, were for commercial purposes. In 1560, while traveling with Gerard Mercator to Trier, Lorraine, and Poitiers, he seems to have been attracted, largely by Mercator’s influence, towards a career as a scientific geographer. From that point forward, he devoted himself to the compilation of his\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eTheatrum Orbis Terrarum\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(Theatre of the World), which would become the first modern atlas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1564 he completed his “\u003cem\u003emappemonde\u003c\/em\u003e\", an eight-sheet map of the world. The only extant copy of this great map is in the library of the University of Basel. Ortelius also published a map of Egypt in 1565, a plan of Brittenburg Castle on the coast of the Netherlands, and a map of Asia, prior to 1570.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn May 20, 1570, Ortelius’\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eTheatrum Orbis Terrarum\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efirst appeared in an edition of 70 maps. By the time of his death in 1598, a total of 25 editions were published including editions in Latin, Italian, German, French, and Dutch. Later editions would also be issued in Spanish and English by Ortelius’ successors, Vrients and Plantin, the former adding a number of maps to the atlas, the final edition of which was issued in 1612. Most of the maps in Ortelius' \u003cem\u003eTheatrum\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003ewere drawn from the works of a number of other mapmakers from around the world; a list of 87 authors is given by Ortelius himself\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1573, Ortelius published seventeen supplementary maps under the title of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eAdditamentum Theatri Orbis Terrarum\u003c\/em\u003e. In 1575 he was appointed geographer to the king of Spain, Philip II, on the recommendation of Arias Montanus, who vouched for his orthodoxy (his family, as early as 1535, had fallen under suspicion of Protestantism). In 1578 he laid the basis of a critical treatment of ancient geography with his\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSynonymia\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003egeographica\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(issued by the Plantin press at Antwerp and republished as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThesaurus\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003egeographicus\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein 1596). In 1584 he issued his\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNomenclator\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ePtolemaicus\u003c\/em\u003e, a Parergon (a series of maps illustrating ancient history, sacred and secular). Late in life, he also aided Welser in his edition of the Peutinger Table (1598).\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"map-of-barbary","title":"Abraham Ortelius Barbariae Et Biledulgerid Nova Descriptio Published 1570","description":"\u003cp\u003eNice full-color  example of Ortelius's map of coastal North Africa and the Mediterranean, from his\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eTheatrum Orbis Terrarum\u003c\/em\u003e, the first modern atlas of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe map extends from Morocco and the Sahara to Libya and shows most of the Mediterranean, including the Balearic Islands, Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, and Italy, along with the Canaries off the coast of Africa. Detail in central Africa is largely down to myth and legend, with a number of cities shown, many rivers and lakes, and even copious notes. Some of these cities, although incorrectly placed, are not completely fictional. Guargala, described as a \"\u003cem\u003ecity elegantly built\u003c\/em\u003e,\" is now known as Ouargla and is one of the largest cities in the Algerian portion of the Sahara.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe map is decorative, with simple stylistic tendencies commonplace in Ortelius's early maps. In the Mediterranean, a majestic sea monster is seen, a dolphin hybrid is off the coast of Lisbon, and a large ship is found under the text reading Golfo de las Yeguas. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe interior is filled with mythical lakes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrtelius based his map on one published by an anonymous mapmaker in Venice in 1560, which itself was based on Gastaldi's 1556 map of Africa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSubject: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eMediterranean Sea\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eCreator:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e Ortelius, Abraham \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eColor:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e Hand Color\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSize:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e 20.25 x 13.5 inches (print within frame);\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e 30.25 x 24 inches (framed)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSource:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e Theatrum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Abraham Ortelius","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42581486927960,"sku":"","price":3200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0564\/1954\/9272\/files\/Screenshot2025-01-21at10.32.03AM.png?v=1737484351"},{"product_id":"view-of-tempe-in-thessalia-by-ortelius","title":"View of Tempe in Thessalia by Abraham Ortelius Published 1590","description":"\u003cp\u003eFine example of Abraham Ortelius' view of the mythical paradise of Tempe in Thessaly, Greece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocated at the foot of Mount Olympus, this valley was known as the playground of the gods. The Pineios River, named after the river god Peneus, curves through the valley, separating Macedonian lands and Thessaly lands. On the banks, Bay Laurel trees grow, whose aromatic leaves were used in chaplets to crown the victors of the Pythian Games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe view features scenes of merry-making, feasting, and dancing, but with the striking and prominent mountain peaks. Tempe also alludes to the power of the gods. Moreover, with an engraved temple and alter of Jupiter featured, Ortelius' Tempe is truly a nod to the mythical, magical, and fabled. The view was based on information from ancient sources, specifically, the writings of Ovidius, Athenaeus, Plinius, Herodotus, and Aelianus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eColor:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e Hand Color\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSize:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e 18 x 21.6 inches \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSource:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e Theatrum Orbis Terrarum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eDescription:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eViews are a rarity in the historical atlas by Ortelius. Even then, one would have expected an illustration of antique Jerusalem, Athens or Rome, but this was not the case. This illustration combines myth and reality. The Tempe Valley really exists and it forms a 10 km gap around River Pineios (after the God Peneus), which separates Thessaly of Macedonia.\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnthroned above Mount Olympus, we find \u003cspan class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003ethe seat of Zeus and the Greek gods. Mount Olympus rising to 2.918 meters is the highest mountain of current-day Greece. The origin of the name “Olympus” is unknown and it is probably pre-Greek. Homer refers to Mount Olympus as the seat of the Greek Gods (in general terms) and not to an identifiable or specific location. On the mountain peak and in the valley Ortelius shows the altar and the temple of Apollo, son of Zeus. Ortelius refers to “Jovis ara” or Jupiter, the Roman counterpart of Zeus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text_exposed_show\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ancient times, it was celebrated by Greek poets as a favorite haunt of Apollo and the Muses. The paradise of Tempe was an historical place of culture, care and lust. On the river banks grows the laurel tree, whose leaves were used to make the victory wreath for the winners at the Pythian games in Delphi. Ortelius drew his data for this view from Ovid, Herodotus, Aelian, Plinius, Herodotus  and Varro. Ortelius incorporated this sight for the first time in 1590, but this print comes from the Latin version of B. Vrients from 1609.\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the lower right corner, the brilliantly decorated cartouche reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Est nemus Æmoniæ prærupta quod undiqß claudit | Silva, vocant Tempe, per quæ Peneus ab imo | Effusus Pindo, spumosis volvitur undis.”  Translation: Hear in the inaccessible forests of Æmonia, which is everywhere enclosed by the forest called Tempe, through which the river Peneus, scattered by the Pindus Mountain range, tosses with foamy waves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eReferences:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eVan den Broecke 231; Van der Krogt, AN: P-Tempe:31\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Abraham Ortelius","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42581500428376,"sku":"","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0564\/1954\/9272\/files\/viewoftempeinthessalia.jpg?v=1737484899"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0564\/1954\/9272\/collections\/SIL-SIL14-o001-14.jpg?v=1766980481","url":"https:\/\/salishseacharts.org\/collections\/abraham-orelius.oembed","provider":"Salish Sea Charts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}