Abraham Ortelius

Born April 4th, 1527 at Antwerp. After a good and extensive education, he and his sister began in business selling and colouring maps.

In 1570 he published his great collection of maps, the first real atlas as we understand the term today. Many subsequent issues were published and printed up to 1612 by the Plantin Press, which handled and produced work of very fine quality. The text upon the reverse of the maps was in a variety of languages—Latin, German, Spanish, Dutch, French, and, in 16o6, the first atlas in English.

A delightful series of miniature maps was produced by Ortelius and published from 1576. His maps are justly famous, for each is a superb work of art, the result of scholarship and a finely cultivated artistic sense. He died on June 28th, 1598.