The Atlas Blaeu-van der Hem

In 2011 we will complete one of our most prestigious projects; the publication of the facsimile of the Atlas Blaeu-van der Hem bound in eight volumes. To celebrate this occasion we will publish an accompanying publication with background information on the Atlas Blaeu-van der Hem and the production of the facsimile. In this book, various experts on the Atlas Blaeu-van der Hem describe the many aspects of this unique compilation atlas from the 17th century.

The book contains contributions by Roelof van Gelder on the Atlas of Laurens van de Hem and his library, a detailed description of the life and works of the collector and the making of his Atlas; Truusje Goedings on the coloration of the Atlas; Erlend de Groot on the art historical aspects of a series of drawings from the Atlas; Peter van der Krogt on the Atlas Maior by Blaeu, which served as the point of departure for the Atlas; Benjamin Schmidt on the printed maps from the Atlas, and Dick Gaasbeek on the making of the facsimile of the Atlas, including a detailed description of the photography, the printing and the binding.

Together with introductions by Gary Schwartz and Günter Schilder, this book further contains a catalogue with the numbers and titles of, and brief information on all the maps and images present in the 8 volumes of the facsimile.