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Abraham Ortelius Art

Dutch, 1527-1598

Abraham Ortelius is widely recognized as the inventor of the atlas and one of the most prominent geographers in history. He is one of the best known and most frequently collected of all sixteenth-century mapmakers, and today, hand-colored, copperplate-printed Abraham Ortelius maps continue to command avid interest.

Ortelius was the eldest of the three children of an Antwerp merchant. After his father's death when he was ten, he was raised by his uncle Jacob Van Meteren — a financier and printer of early English versions of the Bible. Ortelius entered the Guild of Saint Luke in 1547 to become a map copier and colorist, but his hobbies overshadowed his studies. 

Ortelius was better known as a student of history and a collector of books and old coins than a cartographer — only initially garnering modest praise for his skills at mapmaking. Gleaning what he learned from his uncle, he became a dealer in books and prints. In 1554 he attended the annual Frankfurt Book Fair, where he met the highly respected cartographer Gerardus Mercator.

Ortelius refocused his work in mapmaking after that fateful encounter. He eventually published Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theater of the World) — a comprehensive collection of maps that he bound into a book. It was the first of its kind and is now recognized as the first modern-day atlas. While creating his atlas, Ortelius observed that the coast of America shared geometrical similarities with the shores of Europe and Africa. When he lined up maps of the coastlines of the continents, they matched — much like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. 

Some have argued that the concept of continental drift is at least partly rooted in Ortelius’s 16th-century-era suggestion that the continents had once been joined together as a single mass of land before the Americas were pulled away from Europe and Africa. Much later, in 1912, German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed in a lecture and an article that the continents had once been locked together based on data he collected. Wegener was widely ridiculed at the time, but the foundation of modern-day science of plate tectonics has its origins in his work.

On May 18, 2008, a Google Doodle celebrated the 300th anniversary of Ortelius’s atlas.

On 1stDibs, find original Abraham Ortelius prints, landscape prints and more.

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Artist: Abraham Ortelius
Northern Italy: A 16th Century Hand-colored Map by Abraham Ortelius
By Abraham Ortelius
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a framed 16th century hand-colored copperplate map of northern Italy entitled "Veronae Urbis Territorium a Bernardo Bragnolo Descriptium" by Abraham Ortelius from his atlas "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum", which was the first modern atlas of the world, with the first volume published in 1570. This map was part of a subsequent volume, published in Antwerp in 1584. It was based on an earlier map by Bernardo Brognoli. This beautiful map of northern Italy is focussed on Verona and its environs, including Mantua. Lake Garda and the South Tyrol mountains are prominently depicted. There is a very large striking cartouche in the upper left and a decorative distance scale in the lower right. This striking hand-colored map of northern Italy is presented in a gold-colored wood frame and an olive green-colored mat. It is glazed with UV conservation glass. All mounting materials used are archival. The frame measures 21.5" high by 28" wide by 0.75" deep. There is a central vertical fold, as issued, with slight separation of the lower portion of the fold. There are faint spots in the upper and right margins, but the map is otherwise in very good condition. Abraham Ortelius (also known as Ortels, Orthellius, and Wortels) (1527-1598) was a Dutch cartographer, geographer, and cosmographer. He began his career as a map colorist. In 1547 he entered the Antwerp guild of St Luke as an "illuminator of maps". He had an affinity for business from an early age and most of his journeys before 1560, were for business. He was a dealer in antiques, coins, maps, and books. 
His business income allowed him to acquire an extensive collection of medals, coins, and antiques, as well as a large library of books...
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16th Century Old Masters Abraham Ortelius Art

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Engraving

AMERICAE - Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio
By Abraham Ortelius
Located in Santa Monica, CA
ABRAHAM ORTELIUS (1527 - 1598) AMERICAE SIVE NOVI ORBIS, NOVA DESCRIPTIO, 1587 (1603) (Van Den Broecke 11, Burden 64; Schwartz & Ehrenberg 69) Engraving. A very good, well printed...
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16th Century Old Masters Abraham Ortelius Art

Materials

Engraving

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Abraham Ortelius art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Abraham Ortelius art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Abraham Ortelius in engraving and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 18th century and earlier and is mostly associated with the Old Masters style. Not every interior allows for large Abraham Ortelius art, so small editions measuring 20 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Adriaen van Ostade, Cornelis Bega, and Marius Bauer. Abraham Ortelius art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,580 and tops out at $4,500, while the average work can sell for $3,040.

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