Description
Nicholas Visscher II, Atlas Minor
These vibrant early maps are from Atlas Minor sive Geographia Compendiosa by Nicholas Visscher, II (1649-1702). The Visscher family produced maps and atlases in Amsterdam throughout the 17th and into the early 18th centuries. Claez Jansz Visscher (1587-1652) founded the enterprise and published atlases that consisted mostly of maps printed from plates purchased from Pieter van den Keere. The business was continued by his son, Nicholas Visscher, I (1618-1679) and his grandson, Nicholas II. The Visschers pubulished Atlas Contractus and Atlas Minor in many updated and revised editions reflecting the most up to date cartographic knowledge of the time. They compiled their atlases using dozens of maps from other publishers. Upon the death of Nicholas II, his wife, Elizabeth, continued the business until she sold it to Peter Schenk. Schenk continued to publish the Visscher plates until his death.
These maps are from the early 1700s. The map areas have older hand coloring with color recently applied to the many detailed cartouches. These maps are on fine chain-linked paper that measures approximately 21" by 24½" - with with a few noted exceptions.