Parergon Atlas of the Ancient World by Abraham Ortelius. The 17th century Theatre of the Whole World atlas is the final and most comprehensive edition of the Parergon, Ortelius's atlas of ancient Geography. The Parergon maps began appearing as supplements within Ortelius main work the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum in 1579 with 3 maps. Over the time, the map collection became an atlas in its own right. The Parergon was published mainly as appendix of the Theatrum, but also a few times separately.
The maps comprise both classical and biblical themes, including the wanderings of Odysseus, Abraham and Paul the Apostle. In this 1624 edition, Moretus included the 4 sheet reproduction of the Peutinger table, an illustrated road map showing the cursus publicus, the road network in the Roman Empire.
Koeman mentioned about the Parergon of Ortelius: This atlas of ancient geography must be regarded as a personal work of Ortelius. For this work he did not, as in the 'Theatrum', copy other people's maps but drew the originals himself which were later engraved by Jan Wierix ... The maps in the Parergon have to be evaluated as the most outstanding engravings depicting the wide-spread interest in classical geography in the 16th century.
Title: Theatri Orbis Terrarum Parergon; Sive Veteris Geographiae Tabulae, Commentarijs Geographicis et Historicis illustratae... Balthasaris Moreti. Antverpiae, ex officina Plantiniana, M.DC.XXIV
Author: Ortelius, Abraham; Moretus, Balthasar; Llwyd, Humphrey
Publisher: Balthasar Moretus, Ex Officina Plantiniana, - ( Christophe Plantin ) Antwerp
Size: Imperial Folio, 47.5 x 31.0 cm
Illustrations: Engraved title, arms of Philip IV of Spain on verso, woodcut printer's device on final leaf, 39 double-page engraved maps, 3 double-page engraved views and 2 plates 'Ordines Sacri Romani', woodcut initials and numerous illustrations of coins.
Cover: Full leather armored binding with blind and gilt stamp coat of arms - Louis de Bechameil, Marquis de Nointel.
Abraham Ortelius 1624 The Theater of the World Atlas or Theatri Orbis Terrarum
The original antique armored binding has the decorative gilt oval coat of arms crest of Louis de Bechameil, Marquis de Nointel (1630-1703). The leather binding is intact but does have some wear. The folio is complete and in overall good condition. Four of the maps Tempe, Graecia Sophiani, Palestinae and Middle East have some old hand coloring. A few of the plates and maps have foxing from age. Cover measures 18.5 inches high x 12.5 inches wide. French pencil script letters on the reverse side of the front free endpaper read: Aux armes de Louis Béchameil Marquis de Nointel.
From Wikipedia: Louis de Bechamel Marquis de Nointel (1630–1703) was a French financier and patron of the arts. Son of Jean-Baptiste Béchameil, Louis was a rich tax farmer and superintendent to the house of the Duke of Orléans; he was intendant of Brittany and of the généralité of Tours. In 1697,Béchameil bought the marquisat of Nointel and later became Louis XIV's head steward. Following a reorganisation of the Brittany kingdom's Chamber of Accounts of 1669, a commission (1680) was set up and led by Béchameil de Nointel, as an intendant where he wrote a report to attest what he saw. This document, which mentions the frauds of the Chamber's deposits, shows the favors given to the crown and tries to end such abuses, led to a new law proposed by Charles Colbert to the Brittany Chamber in 1681. In 1698, Béchameil published another document focusing on the fiscal system.
Béchameil was an art lover who was directed by the King to found the Academy at Angers, for which he delivered the opening address and served as director. He was a patron of Watteau, who painted a series of arabesque panels with figures for the hôtel de Nointel, Paris, doubtless, from the nature of the allegories, for a small dining chamber. A century later, the French put his name to the white sauce he created, distorting the surname of Béchameil to bechamel, easier to use.
Abraham Ortelius (also Ortels, Orthellius, Wortels; 14 April 1527 – 28 June 1598) was a Flemish cartographer and geographer, conventionally recognized as the creator of the first modern atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World). Ortelius is often considered one of the founders of the Netherlandish school of cartography and one of the most notable representative of the school in its golden age (approximately 1570s–1670s). The publication of his atlas in 1570 is often considered as the official beginning of the Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography. He is also believed to be the first person to imagine that the continents were joined together before drifting to their present positions.pencil script letters on the reverse side of the front free endpaper read: Aux armes de Louis Béchameil Marquis de Nointel.
From Wikipedia: Louis de Bechamel Marquis de Nointel (1630–1703) was a French financier and patron of the arts. Son of Jean-Baptiste Béchameil, Louis was a rich tax farmer and superintendent to the house of the Duke of Orléans; he was intendant of Brittany and of the généralité of Tours. In 1697,Béchameil bought the marquisat of Nointel and later became Louis XIV's head steward. Following a reorganisation of the Brittany kingdom's Chamber of Accounts of 1669, a commission (1680) was set up and led by Béchameil de Nointel, as an intendant where he wrote a report to attest what he saw. This document, which mentions the frauds of the Chamber's deposits, shows the favors given to the crown and tries to end such abuses, led to a new law proposed by Charles Colbert to the Brittany Chamber in 1681. In 1698, Bechameil published another document focusing on the fiscal system.
Bechameil was an art lover who was directed by the King to found the Academy at Angers, for which he delivered the opening address and served as director. He was a patron of Watteau, who painted a series of arabesque panels with figures for the hotel de Nointel, Paris, doubtless, from the nature of the allegories, for a small dining chamber. A century later, the French put his name to the white sauce he created, distorting the surname of Bechameil to bechamel, easier to use.
Abraham Ortelius (also Ortels, Orthellius, Wortels; 14 April 1527 - 28 June 1598) was a Flemish cartographer and geographer, conventionally recognized as the creator of the first modern atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World). Ortelius is often considered one of the founders of the Netherlandish school of cartography and one of the most notable representative of the school in its golden age (approximately 1570s - 1670s). The publication of his atlas in 1570 is often considered as the official beginning of the Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography. He is also believed to be the first person to imagine that the continents were joined together before drifting to their present positions.
All plates from another copy of this folio are viewable for **reference only** at: http://www.rare-atlases.com/atlases/17th-century-atlases/1624-ancient-atlas-parergon-by-abraham-ortelius?atlas=1624-parergon-atlas-of-the-ancient-world-by-abraham-ortelius&map=1624_ortelius_parergon_050&view=zoomall&atlasid=4&tmpl=component