Antique Map Of Granada And Murcia, 1638

Fantastic Antique Map of Granada and Murcia Published by Janssonius-Hondius. The Netherlands, 1638

Beautiful antique map of Granada and Murcia, printed in black ink and featuring wonderful period hand-coloring that enhances the engraving. The map was produced in the Netherlands in 1638 by the famous engraver and cartographer Jan Janssonius, and is part of the *Atlas Novus* that he published with his brother-in-law, Henricus Hondius. The condition of this map is truly excellent: it has no tears or stains, and the watercolor hues are vivid and brilliant. These colors (red, yellow, blue, pink, and brown) were delicately hand-painted around the same time the map was printed, with the aim of highlighting certain areas.

For example, the borders of the provinces of Granada and Murcia are outlined in yellow, and there are also pink lines marking other boundaries. The coastline is also painted yellow, while the mountain ranges and peaks are delicately shaded in light brown. But without a doubt, the most striking images are the two cartouches at the bottom of the map: the one on the left is adorned with the figure of a cartographer taking measurements on a globe, while the one on the right depicts a coat of arms flanked by two rampant lions. The first, colored in blue, yellow, and pink, contains the scale, while the second lists the names of the territories in Latin: GRANATA ET MURCIA REGNA (Kingdoms of Granada and Murcia).

The great beauty of this antique map of Granada and Murcia is just one of its many qualities. It is undoubtedly a wonderful historical document full of charm and character.

Dimensions: Paper: Width: 57 cm. Height: 50 cm. Engraving: Width: 48 cm. Height: 38.5 cm.

History of Jan Janssonius

Jan Janssonius (Johannes Janssonius, 15881664) was a Dutch cartographer and publisher, famous for his contribution to the Hondius Atlas. The relationship between Janssonius and Hondius began as a family one, since in 1612 Janssonius married Elisabeth de Hondt, daughter of Jodocus Hondius.

Janssonius was the son of a Dutch publisher and bookseller, and he produced his first maps in 1616, depicting France and Italy. By 1623, he owned a bookstore in Frankfurt and later opened branches in other European cities. In 1630, Janssonius partnered with his brother-in-law Henricus Hondius, and they began publishing the famous Mercator/Hondius/Janssonius atlases. Published under the title *Atlas Novus*, the work comprised three volumes by 1638; in 1646, another volume on Maps of English Counties was published. In 1660, the atlas was renamed *Atlas Major*: by then it consisted of eleven volumes, with contributions from around one hundred authors and engravers. The volumes include an atlas of cities, one of the seas, and another of the ancient world, as well as an Atlas of the Clelians by Andreas Cellarius. After Janssoniuss death, his son-in-law Johannes van Waesberg took over ownership of the publishing house.