1725 Van der Aa / Jean Quintin Map of the Maltese Archipelago

Pieter van der Aa (1659 - 1733) was a Dutch publisher of maps and atlases active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Van der Aa was born in Leyden in 1659. At nine he was apprenticed to a local bookseller and, by 21, had established his own publishing, printing, and auctioneering house. In 1692 Van der Aa was appointed to be one of the High Commissioners of the Booksellers Guild. During his long and impressive career Van der Aa produced thousands of maps, including a vast 28 volume atlas containing no less than 3,000 maps. Few of Van der Aa's maps were original productions, most being copied from the work of earlier cartographers. Nonetheless, when one of Van der Aa's rare original pieces does appear, his style, with unusual projections, elegant engraving, and precise detail, is instantly recognizable and highly desirable. He also pioneered the cartographic idea of separating border artwork from the map plate itself such that every map in a collection could have a similar elaborate border without actually having to re-engrave the complex plates. This technique was used to great effect by later 18th century publishers like Brion de la Tour. Following Van der Aa's death in 1733, his much admired Nouvel Atlas was reissued by the Dutch firm of Covens & Mortier. Today Van der Aa's work is admired for its fine delicate engraving and unusual projections and is considered highly desirable among collectors. More by this mapmaker...

Jean Quintin or Johannes Quintinus, (Jan 20, 1500 - April 9, 1561) was a French priest, writer, and a knight of the Order of St. John.  He is primarily remembered for having produced the earliest description of Malta, including the earliest printed map specifically of the Maltese archipelago. He advanced to some prominence in the Order, becoming secretary to the Grand Master. He wrote broadly; his subjects included geography and cosmography. He wrote his Insulae Melitae Descriptio based on his actual 1530 visit to Malta, combining his eyewitness report with classical and medieval reports, including that which placed Saint Paul's shipwreck there. It is believed that he composed the woodcut map accompanying his description. Although his map was swiftly superseded by those of the Lafreri school, his description was republished several times, and his map would be copied as well. Learn More...