Poseidon riding a Hippocumpus, detail from Tarritoria Angelen et Schwansen, Blaeu Atlas Maior, Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam 1665
Poseidon riding a Hippocumpus, detail from Tarritoria Angelen et Schwansen, Blaeu Atlas Maior, Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam 1665
The Cosmographia Blaviana or Blaeu Atlas Maior was published in 1662-5. It is a splendid and one of the largest examples of the multi-volume Dutch world atlases. It contains 3,368 pages of texts and 594 maps and presents the world as it was understood in the mid 17th century. Volume VI of the work contains maps of Scotland and Ireland. The Atlas Maior was the most expensive book that could be acquired in the mid-17th century.
When it was published, the Blaeu Atlas Maior was the largest map publishing project the world had seen
The National Library of Scotland, Special Collections
The National Library of Scotland on George IV Bridge in Edinburgh contains a fascinating holding of books, manuscripts and archives. The Library’s Special Collections are particularly eclectic, ranging from witchcraft to the French Revolution, from beekeeping to Esperanto and from the Reformation to cookbooks. Rare books include Stirling’s ‘Annals of the Artists of Spain’ the first illustrated art history and Fox Talbot’s ‘Sun Pictures in Scotland’. With over one million books to consult all you need is a library card and time to delve history.
