Description of the Blaeu Atlas

This Latin edition of Willem Janszoon and Joan Blaeu's Theatrum orbis terrarum, sive, Atlas novus was published in 4 volumes beginning in 1645. The first edition of this atlas was published in 1635 as a two volume set in German, Dutch, Latin, and French. By 1662 the atlas had grown to 11 or 12 volumes depending on the edition and the inclusion of a sea-atlas. At this point in time the atlas became known as the Atlas maior. This work is considered the Blaeus' crowning achievement in the field of cartography.

YRL Reference and Instructional Services owns the first volume of the set,"Europa -Germania-Germania Inferior". The volume was given to the UCLA Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies as part of a donation from the Margaret W. Romani Estate, and the Center offered the Atlas to the UCLA Library. The atlas contains extensive text, but only the map pages were scanned for this project. Scanning was funded by the Henry J. Bruman Educational Foundation.

This copy of the atlas lacks the following maps (based on the Table of Contents): Orbis Terrarum. Europa. Norvegia descriptio. Lithuania Magnus ducatus. Borysthenes fluvius. Hassia Landgraviatus. Francofurtense territorium. Danubius, & in illum defluentes fluvii. Dunkercka. Geldria ducatus. Hollandia comitatus. Zeelandia comitatus. Frisia Occidentalis.