1660 / 1661 Cellarius Celestial Map illustrating Solar Orbits in a Geocentric System

The Sun, Spinning Around the Earth.

This beautiful work is Andreas Cellarius' celestial chart, in its 1661 second state with sumptuous color, illustrating the spiraling orbit of the sun around the Earth, assuming a geocentric solar system. Its lush, baroque presentation - filled with clouds and putti - frames a useful visual glossary illustrating terminology important to the astronomer and the geographer.

A Closer Look

The Earth sits at the center of the composition, set within the celestial sphere divided into its circles. The sun's orbit, in red, is shown spiraling around the Earth. Surrounding the globe is a stylized armillary sphere, upon the Zodiac of which are visible ten of the twelve signs of the Zodiac with their symbols: Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo. Framing the chart are engraved clouds graced by putti, a pair of whom sport with leashed birds. Cellarius' Harmonia Macrocosmica contained diagrams illustrating the conflicting models of the Solar System in play during the 17th century. Still, the concept of the celestial sphere was relevant to the study of all.

A State-of-the-Art Depiction of the Globe

The diagram surrounds a depiction of the globe, reflecting the geographical knowledge current when the chart was engraved. The globe's position focuses on the southern hemisphere: Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean are visible, as well as the Indian Peninsula. Most of sub-Saharan Africa and northern Europe are also shown. The imagined Terra Australis Incognita appears at the South Pole.

Publication History and Census

This engraving was executed by Johannes van Loon for Jan Jansson, who in 1660 first published Cellarius' Harmonia Macrocosmica. Jansson produced two editions in 1660 and 1661; these are distinguishable by the plate numbers engraved for the 1661 edition - as in the present example, indicating the 1661 second state. Amsterdam publishers Gerard Valk and Pieter Schenk later acquired the plates and republished Cellarius' work in 1708, adding their own imprint and privilege. Separate examples of Cellarius' charts appear on the market from time to time.

Cartographers

Andreas Cellarius (1596 - 1665) was a Dutch-German cartographer, mathematician, and astronomer. He was born in Neuhausen (now a part of Worms), and was educated in Heidelberg. Cellarius, being Protestant, may have left Heidelberg in 1618, at the onset of the Thirty Years' War, or slightly later, in 1622, when the city fell to Catholics. His activities are unclear at this time but based on his later works it is conjectured he spent time in Poland where he may have taken work as a military engineer. In 1625. he married Catharina Eltemans in Amsterdam, where he taught Latin. After a brief stay in The Hague, the family moved to Hoorn. From 1637 until his death he was rector of the Hoorn Latin School. Today Cellarius is best known for his Harmonia Macrocosmica of 1660, a major celestial atlas, published in Amsterdam by Johannes Janssonius.   Further Details...

Johannes van Loon (c. 1611 - 1686), also known as Jan van Loon, was a Dutch mapmaker, mathematician, and engraver active in Amsterdam during the middle part of the 17th century. Van Loon issued the exceptional nautical atlas Klaer-Lichtende Noort-Ster ofte Zee Atlas in 1661. His is also known to have engraved several plates of Cellarius's Harmonia Macrocosmica Seu Atlas and to have contributed maps to nautical atlases and pilot books by Jacobsz, Jan Jansson, Johannes Janssonius van Waesbergen, and Robijin. Little is known of his personal life.   Further Details...

Source

Cellarius, A., Atlas Coelestis seu Harmonia Macrocosmica, (Amsterdam: Jansson) 1661.    

The Atlas Coelestis; Seu Harmonia Macrocosmica is an important celestial atlas by Andreas Cellarius first published in Amsterdam by Jan Jansson in 1660. Not only is this the only celestial atlas published in Amsterdam before the 19th century, it is also the most decorative celestial atlas ever produced. The atlas was lavishly illustrated in baroque ethic and contained 29 extraordinary charts. The first 21 constitute a historical survey of cosmological theories, illustrating the motions of the sun and planets according to Claudius Ptolemy, Nicolaus Copernicus, and Tycho Brahe. The subsequent 8 plates are constellation and planetary charts. Although originally conceived of as a two volume set, the second volume never materialized. Despite criticism by prominent contemporary astronomers the first volume proved immensely popular and went through three printings, 1600, 1601, and 1666. In 1694 the Jansson plates were sold to Gerard Valk and Petrus Schenk who produced a similarly lavish edition in 1708.

Condition

Very good. Marginal mends to bottom, and centerfold. Original color refreshed.

References

OCLC 165109934. Taschen, B. and Van Gent, Robert H. The Finest Atlas of the Heavens, p.125.