New Additions August 2011

Coletta Hondius

[1613]c1620

Gerardus Mercator....Jodocus Hondius

46 x 39 cms. Bright full original wash colours. Some visible creasing to centrefold, particularly in mid & lower image. The crimping caused by the binding strip which is still adhered to verso and has caused one or two very short barely visible cracks and surface blemishes, particularly in the area between the two globes in the mid centre of the image. With all, a fine example in striking and bright original colours.

One of the  most famous double-acts in cartographic history,  this charming folio sheet portrait, from the Mercator-Hondius Atlas, shows the two founding fathers of modern map making - the  long-bearded figure of Gerard  Mercator [1512-1594] on the left, and his Dutch successor, Amsterdam cartographer and publisher  Jodocus Hondius [1563-1612] on the right. This fine portrait is set within an elaborate monumental frame, adorned with globes, spheres, cross-staffs and rolled charts.  A map of Europe hangs in the background as each cartographer works with dividers in hand in front of two terrestrial globes.  The figure of a lounging greyhound, lying below the sphere top centre, alludes to the original Dutch form of Hondius’ name - de Hondt  (meaning literally : of the hound). Overall an extremely attractive example of this much sought-after portrait which was engraved after Jodocus Hondius' death in 1612 by his widow Coletta Hondius. It appeared in editions of the Mercator-Hondius Atlas from 1613 onwards. Examples of this portrait have now become highly collectible and increasingly difficult to find, especially in good condition. As the introductory frontispiece in the Atlas, the portrait was often amongst those preliminary pages that  suffered  the worst damage through constant handling, repeated fingering and general wear & tear. This example from a Latin text edition c.1620.