The atlas was published simultaneously in five different languages: Latin, French, Dutch, Spanish, and German. Of these, the French ‘Grand 

’ was the largest of the five editions, with the volume concerning France divided into two books to make a total of twelve volumes.

Volume I

Volume II

Volume III

Volume IV

Volume V

Volume VI

Volume VII

Volume VIII

Volume IX

Volume X

Volume XI

Volume XII

 was able to synthesise the world of the Dutch Golden Age into a twelve-volume publication, an endeavour unparalleled for centuries. The publication was rooted in the 1630 ‘

 Appendix’, which he published with his father 

. That work consisted of sixty maps and was advertised at the time as a supplement to Mercator’s atlas. Blaeu’s rivals, Henricus Hondius and 

, reacted to the publication by issuing their own rival ‘Appendixes’ by the end of the same year. Over the next thirty years, this great publishing rivalry would spur the production of ever larger and more lavish atlases. In 1634, Willem and 

 Novus’, containing one hundred and sixty-one maps; this was expanded in 1635 to two volumes, containing two hundred and seven maps.

Over the next twenty years, Johannes continued to expand the ‘

 Novus’ adding a third volume in 1640 covering Italy and Greece; in 1645, a fourth volume on the British Isles; and in 1654, a volume relating to China, the ‘

 Sinensis’. This is the first Western atlas of China, based on the work of the Jesuit Marteo Martini. 

In 1662, Blaeu announced that he would auction his bookselling business to finance the imminent publication of his ‘

 Maior’. Examining the scale of the undertaking, Blaeu knew that he would need further capital. The creation of the five editions took six years, from 1659 to 1665. It is estimated that 1,550 copies of all five editions were printed. If one totals up the entire print run, it comes to just over 5.4 million pages of text and 950,000 copper plate impressions. Such a vast undertaking in capital and labour was reflected in the price of the work, with the French edition the most expensive at 450 guilders. The atlas was the most expensive book of its day; the average price of a house in Amsterdam at the time of publication was 500 guilders.

The maps are embellished in the Baroque style and are among the most beautiful ever made. Of note are the famous side-panelled maps of the continents, the fifty-eight maps devoted to England and Wales (Volume V), Martini’s 

 of China, the first atlas of China published in Europe (Volume XI), and a series of twenty-three maps of America, that helped to shape contemporary conceptions regarding the geography of the 

 more than almost any other source. Included in this volume is a general map of the continent, famed for its side panels that contain costumed figures and city views, as well as a distinguished series of regional maps. The map of Virginia was the first version of John Smith's map of the area surrounding Chesapeake Bay to be published in continental Europe. 

 (1571–1638) was the founder of a cartographic family dynasty synonymous with the finest mapmaking of the Golden Age of Dutch cartography. Between 1594 and 1596, as a student of the Danish astronomer 

, he qualified as an instrument and globemaker. During this time in 1596, his son 

 was born and he would also become a well-established cartographer. 

He established his firm in Amsterdam, specializing in country maps, world globes, and other cartographic materials, and as he possessed his own printing works, he was able to regularly produce country maps in an atlas format, some of which appeared in his ‘

 Novus’ published in 1635. In 1633 he was appointed mapmaker of the Dutch East India Company. He was also an editor and published works of Descartes, Barlaeus, Hugo Grotius, and others.



’s sons joined him in the firm, with the eldest, Joan (1596–1673) quickly assuming the lead. Joan went to university in Leiden, studying mathematics and astronomy. After returning to work for his father, they produced their first atlas together in 1630, the ‘

 Appendix’. Five years later, they produced their ‘

 Novus’ with double the number of maps and published in four languages. Following 

 Maior’, the largest and grandest atlas of its time.

 Maior’ in its various editions was one of the most influential atlases ever published. It was justly famed for its production values, its high typographic standard, and the quality of its engraving, ornamentation, binding, and colouring. The atlas frequently served as the official gift of the Dutch Republic to princes and other authorities. It is one of the most lavish and highly prized of all seventeenth-century illustrated books. In its sheer size and scale, it surpassed all other atlases then in circulation, including the efforts of his great predecessors 

.

In this work, Blaeu was able to synthesize the world of the Dutch Golden Age in a single publication, an endeavour unparalleled for centuries. In 1630 he published, with his father 

 Appendix’. Over the next thirty years, publishing rivalries with Henricus Hondius and 

 would spur the production of ever larger and more lavish editions. Over the coming decades, the atlas was published simultaneously in five different languages: Latin, French, Dutch, Spanish, and German. Of these, the French ‘Grand 

’ was the largest of the five editions, with the volume concerning France divided into two books to make a total of twelve volumes.   

An exceptionally splendid and attractive example of “the greatest and finest atlas ever published” (Verwey). The ‘

 Maior’ in its various editions was the one of the largest atlases ever published. It was justly famed for its production values, its high typographic standard, and the quality of its engraving, ornamentation, binding, and colouring. The atlas frequently served as the official gift of the Dutch Republic to princes and other authorities. It is one of the most lavish and highly prized of all 17th-century illustrated books. “In its sheer size and scale it surpassed all other atlases then in circulation, including the efforts of his great predecessors Ortelius and Mercator” (Brotton).

Of particular note is the double hemisphere map of the world, newly prepared for the atlas by 

 himself. Jerry Brotton suggests that this is the first world map in an atlas to portray the Copernican solar system.

Superb publisher’s Dutch gilt-panelled vellum, each cover decorated with gilt stylised foliate roll-tool panels, arabesques at each outer corner and surrounding a large central arabesque medallion, the smooth spines gilt ruled in eight compartments each decorated with fleur-de-lys corner pieces around a central rose tool, yapp fore-edges, original green silk ties.   

12 volumes. Folio. Letterpress title-pages with engraved vignette and divisional half-titles to each volume; magnificent engraved allegorical architectural frontispiece title-pages to each volume, 596 engraved maps and plates, mostly double-page (some folding), engraved illustrations, all with magnificent contemporary hand-colour, heightened in gold throughout.

Blaeu's 'Atlas Major', in 12 volumes