Andalucia Continens Sevillam Et Cordubam – Andalucia – Seville – Cordoba – Original Copper Engraved Map – 1642

Publisher: Blaeu, Jan & Blaeu, Willem
Price: £250
Publication Date: Not dated but c.1642
Format: Original copper engraving with original or early hand-colouring
Condition: In very good plus condition, unframed
Sheet Size: 62.4cm x 53.3cm

Condition:

Date: c.1642. Dutch text to the reverse. Sheet Size: 62.4cm x 53.3cm. Original central fold lines. Minor creasing and minor short closed tears to the margin. Very minor age-toning but generally very bright and clean with very good margins. A strong impression. Overall in near fine condition.

Description:

Artistic and Cartographic Merit

• Visual Presentation: The map’s elegant hand-coloured borders outline the Andalucían region with delicate precision. Decorative elements—including a compass rose, sea-galleons, and stylised cartouches—imbue the map with both navigational clarity and artistic character. Towns and rivers are meticulously plotted, while the surrounding waters of the Atlantic and Mediterranean are enriched with maritime motifs.
• Decorative Cartouches: At lower left, a beautifully ornate title cartouche presents the Latin name Andaluzia continens Sevillam et Cordubam. These decorative frames not only function as labels but also elevate the map’s visual allure, hallmarks of Blaeu’s craft.

Historical and Geographical Context

• Cartographic Evolution: This map stems from the Atlases produced by Willem Janszoon Blaeu and later his son Joan Blaeu, respected as the foremost Dutch cartographers of the 17th century. Their workshop combined astronomical precision (the elder Blaeu had studied under Tycho Brahe) with splendid publishing, producing maps that were both useful and decorative.
• Geographic Detail: It captures Andalucía’s key features of the time—major cities like Sevilla and Córdoba, mountain ranges, river networks (such as the Guadalquivir), and the coastal outlines. Though not utterly precise by modern standards, it reflects the best geographical knowledge of the era, serving as a trustworthy regional atlas.

Crafted for Function and Prestige

• Purposeful Design: Intended for scholars, navigators, and patrons in need of accurate regional maps, it also signalled prestige and erudition in its subscribers’ collections. The combination of fine engraving, accurate topography, and alluring embellishments made it a work of both practical and cultural value.
• Publishing Quality: Engraved on copper and printed on paper of fine quality, the map was originally part of broader atlases such as Theatrum Orbis Terrarum or Atlas Novus. The Blaeus’ commitment to craftsmanship is evident in the clarity of lines, the legibility of place-names, and the crispness of detail.

Location: Map Drawer C: SR: 003021

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