Original Map From 1580s by Ortelius of Parts Baltic, Germany, Poland, Romania

Details

Description

Original 16th-Century Hand-Colored Map by Abraham Ortelius (c. 1570)

This is an authentic, original copper-plate engraving by Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598), … Read more Original 16th-Century Hand-Colored Map by Abraham Ortelius (c. 1570)

This is an authentic, original copper-plate engraving by Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598), hand-colored in the late 16th century with its original watercolor work still intact. It comes from Ortelius’s groundbreaking atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (first published in 1570), often considered the world’s first modern atlas.

This sheet brings together three important regional maps:

Pomerania, Prussia, and Livonia (Baltic Coast) – Once hotly contested lands between German, Polish, and Scandinavian powers, these areas were crucial for their ports and trade routes along the Baltic Sea. Livonia (modern-day Latvia and Estonia) was especially strategic during the Livonian Wars (1558–1583) between Russia, Sweden, Poland, and Denmark.

Livonia Nova Descriptio (Lower left) – Focused more directly on Estonia and Latvia, this section shows a region in the midst of constant conflict and cultural exchange, sitting at the crossroads of East and West.

Ducatus Oswieczensis et Zatorensis (Lower right, southern Poland) – These duchies (Oświęcim and Zator) were small but symbolically important principalities absorbed into the Polish Crown. They demonstrate how Ortelius included not only great empires but also the patchwork of smaller duchies that made up Europe at the time.


Presentation & Conservation
The map is elegantly framed in a black frame with gold trim, paired with a linen mat. All materials are acid-free, archival, and conservation-grade, with conservation clear glass to protect against fading.

Overall framed size: 29" × 24 5/8"
Mat opening size: 20.5" x 16"

Medium: Hand-colored copper-plate engraving on laid paper

Date: Circa 1580


Historical Importance
Abraham Ortelius was more than a cartographer, he was a pioneer who changed how the world viewed geography. His Theatrum Orbis Terrarum was the first time maps were published together as a uniform collection, making it one of the most influential works in the history of cartography. Each regional sheet, such as this one, captured the shifting alliances, contested borders, and vibrant trade centers of Renaissance Europe.

This piece is both a stunning work of art and a rare artifact of early modern history, offering a window into the geopolitics of the 16th century.

Over the past few years we have worked diligently to collect thousands of some of the greatest maps that are still affordable to offer here on Chairish. Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have. This map in particular I bought in a collection with approximately 10 other colored maps from the same publication and 40 uncolored maps. I'm not sure if it's the first edition or the second edition but it is done between 1570 and 1590. See less