Who was Abraham Ortelius and what did he do?
Abraham Ortelius (April 14, 1527–June 28, 1598) was a Flemish cartographer and geographer credited with creating the first modern atlas of the world: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, or “Theatre of the World.” Published in 1570, Ortelius’ atlas is widely considered to have launched the Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography.
When did Abraham Ortelius publish the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum?
A facsimile of the Theatrum was published in 1964. Map depicting North and South America, in an edition of Abraham Ortelius’s Theatrum orbis terrarum (1570; “Theatre of the World”) printed in 1588 by Christophe Plantin.
When did Abraham Ortelius publish his first Atlas?
The publication of his atlas in 1570 is often considered as the official beginning of the Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography. He is also believed to be the first person to imagine that the continents were joined before drifting to their present positions.
What did Abraham Ortelius write in Thesaurus Geographicus?
In his work Thesaurus Geographicus, Ortelius suggested that the Americas had been “torn away from Europe and Africa … by earthquakes and floods,” and went on to write, “The vestiges of the rupture reveal themselves, if someone brings forward a map of the world and considers carefully the coasts of the three [continents].”
…Mercator’s contemporary, the Belgian cartographer Abraham Ortelius. The science of surveying was employed to make detailed large-scale maps of the land surface; notable was the work of the Cassini family, in France, spanning more than a century, which was the basis for the world’s first national atlas, published in 1791.…
How old was Ortelius when he died?
Ortelius died at age 71 in Antwerp, Belgium on June 28, 1598. His burial in Antwerp’s church of St. Michael’s Abbey was accompanied by a period of public mourning. His tombstone bears the Latin inscription „Quietis cultor sine lite, uxore, prole“—meaning “served quietly, without accusation, wife, and offspring.”
What was Ortelius‘ first atlas called?
Ortelius’s first atlas was called Theatrum Orbis Terrarum ( The Theater of the World ). First printed in 1570, it featured a collection of 53 maps, all in the same style and size, printed from copper plates, and arranged by continent, region, and state.
How did Ortelius start his business?
Trained as an engraver, Ortelius about 1554 set up his book and antiquary business. About 1560, under the influence of Gerardus Mercator, Ortelius became interested in mapmaking.