2. Blaeu, Willem Janszoon

Antique Maps by Willem Janszoon Blaeu (*1571 - †1638)

Willem Janszoon Blaeu was born 1571 in Alkmaar. He was trained from 1594 to 1596 by the famous danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. 1599 he went to Amsterdam and founded a business as globe maker. Later he started producing map and sea charts, including his first world map in 1605. In 1633 he was appointed Hydrographer for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). His most famous work was the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum sive Atlas Novus of 1635, which was published until 1655 in total six volumes. After Blaeu's death in 1638 his sons Joan and Cornelis continued the business and finished the Atlas Novus and started an even larger work, the Atlas Maior, which reached 12 volumes. In 1672 a fire destroyed the printing house and most of the printing plates. Joan Blaeu died the following year, leaving the business to his three sons Willem (1635-1701), Pieter (1637-1706) and Joan II (1650-1712). While the business began to decline in the hands of his sons, the dominance of the Blaeu publishing house finally ended in 1703 when the V.O.C. stopped publishing maps bearing the Blaeu family name. Some of the surviving plates were bought by F. de Wit and Schenk & Valk.
  • Blaeu, Italy, Umbria, 1664-65: Umbria overo Ducato di Spoleto

    Willem Janszoon Blaeu:  Umbria overo Ducato di Spoleto

    Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1664-65

    Old coloured map of Umbria with Spoleto, Terni and Narni by Willem Blaeu. Decorated with three cartouches. First published in Blaeu's Atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum in 1640. This example comes...

    Umbria overo Ducato di Spoleto
    1664 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
    12438

    Old coloured map of Umbria. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1664.

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  • Blaeu, Netherlands, Amsterdam, Waterland, 1665: Kaarte vande Buyck-slooter, Broecker, ende Belmer Meeren in Waterland. Kaerte van Waterland.

    Willem Janszoon Blaeu:  Kaarte vande Buyck-slooter, Broecker, ende Belmer Meeren in Waterland. Kaerte van Waterland.

    circa 1665

    Copper engraved map of Waterland near Amsterdam. Showing the area northwest of Amsterdam to Edam with Broek in Waterland. Below right a small inset map of the surroundings. Published in Blaeu's...

    Kaarte vande Buyck-slooter, Broecker, ende Belmer Meeren in Waterland....
    1665 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
    12064

    Old coloured map of Waterland, Amsterdam. Printed circa 1665.

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  • Blaeu, Denmark, Lolland, Falster, Mon, 1667: Lalandia, Falstria et Mona Insulae in Mari Balthico

    Willem Janszoon Blaeu:  Lalandia, Falstria et Mona Insulae in Mari Balthico

    Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1667

    Antique map of southeastern part of Denmark by J. Blaeu. Shows the islands Lolland, Falster and Møn with the southern tip of Zealand (Sjælland) in the Baltic Sea. Decorated with two beautiful...

    Lalandia, Falstria et Mona Insulae in Mari Balthico
    1667 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
    11862

    Coloured map of Mon, Falster, Lolland. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1667.

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  • Valk, World Map, 1672 [1695]: Novus Planiglobii Terrestris per Utrumque Polum Conspectus

    Gerard Valk:  Novus Planiglobii Terrestris per Utrumque Polum Conspectus

    Amsterdam, 1672 [1695]

    The Most Interesting World Map of its Period.The mysterious final Blaeu world map in polar projection. Engraved by Joan Blaeu in 1672, but never published by himself because of the great...

    Novus Planiglobii Terrestris per Utrumque Polum Conspectus
    1672 - Gerard Valk
    12554

    Old coloured map of the world by Joan Blaeu. Printed 1695 in Amsterdam by G. Valk.

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