Acquired From: Leen Helmink
Colouring: Coloured
Condition: Very Good
Confirmed: 1/10/2024
Date Acquired: 18/6/2014
Description: In 1584, Jodocus Hondius I fled religious persecution in Ghent (now Belgium) and settled in London. There, he established himself as an engraver, instrument maker, and mapmaker. Three years later, he married Coletta van den Keere, sister of the renowned engraver Pieter van den Keere (View Record (#8), View Record (#109), View Record (#122), View Record (#155), View Record (#217), View Record (#273)). nIn 1593, Hondius moved to Amsterdam, where he founded the publishing house In de Wackere Hondt ("In the Vigilant Dog"). In 1604, he acquired numerous copperplates from Gerard Mercator's Atlas and supplemented them with thirty-seven maps of his own. Two year later, he published an expanded version of Mercators Atlas, titled Gerardi Mercatoris, Atlas sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi et fabricati figura, in both Latin and French. Mercator remained credited as the author, and Hondiuss name appeared prominently as the publisher. These editions became known collectively as the Mercator-Hondius series.nFollowing Jodocus I death in 1612, his widow, Coletta, and sons Henricus and Jodocus II took over the business and continued publishing the atlas. This double portrait of Hondius and Mercator, engraved by Colette as a tribute to her late husband, served by as the titlepage in the 1613 edition of Mercator-Hondius atlas and continued to be included in editions published by Hondius's family until 1641.nThe portrait depicts Hondius seated opposite Mercator, symbolising their equal standingin the world of mapmaking. The two men are shown measuring distance on a globe with dividers in hand. A large wall map of Europe hangs behind them, framed by ornate cartouche adorned with globes, scrolls, cross-staffs, and a golden armillary sphere.nBeneath the portraits ae references to the birth and death dates of both men. Mercator is renowned for introducing a revolutionary cartographic projection, showcased on his 1569 world map. In his later years, Mercator worked on an atlas, which was published posthumously by his son Runold in 1595 under the title Atlas sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi et fabricati figura. However, the publication did not receive widespread enthusiasm, leading to financial difficulties for Mercator's family. To recover financially, they were compelled to sell his library and the copperplates used to print the maps in the atlas. Hondius purchased these and added thirty-seven of new maps. While many of these maps were his own creations, Hondius acknowledged Mercator's contributions and presented himself as the publisher.nColette passed away shortly after completing this engraving, but it continued to be reissued for many decades and is widely regarded as one of the finest illustrations of the early mapmakers.
Engraver: Hondius, Colletta (1568-1629)
First published: Gerardi Mercatoris Atlas, sive, cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi et fabricati figura Amsterdam: Jodocus Hondicus, 1613
Mapmaker: Hondius, Colletta (1568-1629)
Other states: Denuo auctus Editio Quinta.
Price: 10,500
Primary Category: Prints & Related Material
Purchase Reference: Ledger 2022
Rarity: R3 Uncommon – dealers can usually obtain a copy
Technique: Copper Engraving
This state: 1613 or later
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