The Holy Land by Nicolaas Visscher. 1664-80
The Visscher Family
For nearly a century, the members of the Visscher family were essential art dealers and map publishers in Amsterdam.
Claes Jansz. Visscher, or N.J. Piscator (1587-1652)
Claes Jansz. Vischer bought a house in Amsterdam, 'de gulden Bors', on the crucial Kalverstraat and changed the name into "In de Visscher"; under this title, the shop was to flourish for many years.
He was famous for his engravings and etchings of Dutch landscapes and 'historical scenes', such as sieges, battles, etc. These 'historical scenes' were considered contemporary illustrated news items, especially e.g. that of 'the Eighty Years' War'.
For the publication of his first atlas, he bought copperplates of the atlas Germania Inferior by Pieter van den Keere (1623).
In 1649, he published an atlas entitled Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum, containing the same maps as Langenes' Caert Thresoor, for which Visscher had only new title pages engraved.
Claes Jansz. Visscher died in 1652. His wife, Neeltjen Florisdr., had already died in 1640. They had seven children, four of whom were still alive at Claes Jansz.'s death. One was Nicolaes Visscher I, who was to continue his father's business.
Nicolaes Visscher I (1618-1679)
Nicolaes Visscher I partnered with his father, continued the business, and stayed on the Kalverstraat 'in de Visscher' till his death.
In about 1657, the first edition of his Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum appeared.
Between 1664 and 1677, several editions of his Atlas Contractus appeared without a printed index, for these atlases had no fixed contents but were composed according to the buyer's financial leaping pole.
In May 1664, Nicolaes Visscher was admitted as a member of the Booksellers' Guild of his town. In July 1677, he was granted a patent of the States of Holland and West-Friesland for printing and publishing maps and atlases for 15 years.
After this, he again published an Atlas Contractus with a printed index. At about the same time, he also brought out an Atlas Minor.
Nicolaes Visscher II (1649-1702)
Nicolaes Visscher II inherited the 'shop' from his father. To obtain a new privilege, he applied to the States of Holland and West-Friesland in 1682 for a patent for printing and publishing maps. This patent was granted to him the same year. He moved the firm to the Dam, but it kept the same signboard: "In de Visscher".
Around 1683, he published his first Atlas Minor with a printed index of 91 maps. In 1684, an atlas Germania Inferior appeared. Till 1697, he published another number of atlases. He used his grandfather's (Claes Jansz.) maps less often now and relied more and more on his own.
The wars waged at this time initiated the compilation of maps of the countries where the armies operated. Many war maps were included in the various editions of his Atlas Minor.
After Nicolaes's death, his wife, Elizabeth Verseyl, published all the war maps as an atlas under the title De Stoel des Oorlogs in de Wereld (The seat of war in the world).
The widow of Nicolaes Visscher II (?-1726)
His widow continued the business energetically, and by her hand, under the name of her deceased husband, numerous atlases appeared, e.g., several editions of the Atlas Minor, an Atlas Maior and De Stoel des Oorlogs. The shop enjoyed a high reputation due to the assortment's incredible variety. Not only 'Visscher' maps but also maps of other publishers were obtainable. With the death of Elizabeth Verseyl in 1726, the last descendant died of a great map- and atlas-publishing firm in Amsterdam.
Terra Sancta, sive Promissionis, olim Palestina recens delineata.
Item Number: 28582 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > Asia > Holy Land
Old, antique map of the Holy Land, by Nicolaas Visscher.
Title: Terra Sancta, sive Promissionis, olim Palestina recens delineata.
et in lucem edita per Nicolaum Visscher Anno 1659.
CJVisscher Excudit.
Oriented to the northwest.
Engraver: C.J. Visscher.
Date: 1664-80
Date on map: 1659.
Copper engraving, printed on paper.
Map size: 465 x 565mm (18.31 x 22.24 inches).
Sheet size: 540 x 615mm (21.26 x 24.21 inches).
Verso: Blank.
Condition: Original coloured.
Condition Rating: A+.
References: Laor, #793
From: Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum Praecipuas ac Novissimas Complectens Tabulas. Amsterdam, N. Visscher, 1664-80. (Koeman III, Vis5-8)
The Visscher Family
For nearly a century, the members of the Visscher family were essential art dealers and map publishers in Amsterdam.
Claes Jansz. Visscher, or N.J. Piscator (1587-1652)
Claes Jansz. Vischer bought a house in Amsterdam, 'de gulden Bors', on the crucial Kalverstraat and changed the name into "In de Visscher"; under this title, the shop was to flourish for many years.
He was famous for his engravings and etchings of Dutch landscapes and 'historical scenes', such as sieges, battles, etc. These 'historical scenes' were considered contemporary illustrated news items, especially e.g. that of 'the Eighty Years' War'.
For the publication of his first atlas, he bought copperplates of the atlas Germania Inferior by Pieter van den Keere (1623).
In 1649, he published an atlas entitled Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum, containing the same maps as Langenes' Caert Thresoor, for which Visscher had only new title pages engraved.
Claes Jansz. Visscher died in 1652. His wife, Neeltjen Florisdr., had already died in 1640. They had seven children, four of whom were still alive at Claes Jansz.'s death. One was Nicolaes Visscher I, who was to continue his father's business.
Nicolaes Visscher I (1618-1679)
Nicolaes Visscher I partnered with his father, continued the business, and stayed on the Kalverstraat 'in de Visscher' till his death.
In about 1657, the first edition of his Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum appeared.
Between 1664 and 1677, several editions of his Atlas Contractus appeared without a printed index, for these atlases had no fixed contents but were composed according to the buyer's financial leaping pole.
In May 1664, Nicolaes Visscher was admitted as a member of the Booksellers' Guild of his town. In July 1677, he was granted a patent of the States of Holland and West-Friesland for printing and publishing maps and atlases for 15 years.
After this, he again published an Atlas Contractus with a printed index. At about the same time, he also brought out an Atlas Minor.
Nicolaes Visscher II (1649-1702)
Nicolaes Visscher II inherited the 'shop' from his father. To obtain a new privilege, he applied to the States of Holland and West-Friesland in 1682 for a patent for printing and publishing maps. This patent was granted to him the same year. He moved the firm to the Dam, but it kept the same signboard: "In de Visscher".
Around 1683, he published his first Atlas Minor with a printed index of 91 maps. In 1684, an atlas Germania Inferior appeared. Till 1697, he published another number of atlases. He used his grandfather's (Claes Jansz.) maps less often now and relied more and more on his own.
The wars waged at this time initiated the compilation of maps of the countries where the armies operated. Many war maps were included in the various editions of his Atlas Minor.
After Nicolaes's death, his wife, Elizabeth Verseyl, published all the war maps as an atlas under the title De Stoel des Oorlogs in de Wereld (The seat of war in the world).
The widow of Nicolaes Visscher II (?-1726)
His widow continued the business energetically, and by her hand, under the name of her deceased husband, numerous atlases appeared, e.g., several editions of the Atlas Minor, an Atlas Maior and De Stoel des Oorlogs. The shop enjoyed a high reputation due to the assortment's incredible variety. Not only 'Visscher' maps but also maps of other publishers were obtainable. With the death of Elizabeth Verseyl in 1726, the last descendant died of a great map- and atlas-publishing firm in Amsterdam.
Related items
Vue et Description de Bethleem et de Nazareth et de Plusieurs Singularitez Curieuses .. 1719
Holy Land - Bethlehem - Nazareth, by Z. Châtelain.
[Item number: 16855]
Beschreibung des Heiligen Landes Canaan. 1581
The Holy Land, by Bünting H.
[Item number: 18420]
Iudaea, seu Terra Sancta quae Hebraeorum sive Israelitarum ... c. 1700
HOLY LAND by Schenk P.
[Item number: 19146]
Situs Terrae Promissionis. S.S. Bibliorum intelligentiam exacte aperiens per Chr. Adrichom. c. 1658
The Holy Land, by Janssonius J.
[Item number: 19521]
Terra Sancta, sive Promissionis, olim Palestina recens delineata. 1683-1696
The Holy Land, by Visscher N.
[Item number: 19522]
Taffel des Heiligen Landes zu dem Newen Testament dienlich. 1582
Holy Land, by Bünting H.
[Item number: 22640]
Terra Sancta, A Petro Laicstain perlustrata, et ab eius ore et schedisà Chistino Schrot in tabulam redacta. 1612
Holy Land by Abraham Ortelius.
[Item number: 23099]
Situs Terrae Canaan sive Terrae Promissionis, hodie Palestinae, ... 1710
The Holy Land, by Jaillot - Covens & Mortier.
[Item number: 23600]
Terra Sancta, sive Promissionis, olim Palestina recens delineata. 1683-1696
The Holy Land by Nicolaas Visscher
[Item number: 24441]
Tabula Asiae IIII. 1571
Middle East - Cyprus - Holy Land by Strabo - Sebastian Münster
[Item number: 25653]
Terre Sainte Suivant les Nouvelles Observations. 1713
The Holy Land, by Pieter van der Aa.
[Item number: 26110]
La Judée ou Terre Sainte divisée en ses Douze Tribus. 1776-79
Holy Land, by Paolo Santini.
[Item number: 27015]
Terra Sancta, sive Promissionis, olim Palestina. after 1721
Holy Land by Frederik de Wit, published by Covens & Mortier.
[Item number: 28329]
Parergon map
Abrahami Patriarchae Peregrinatio, et Vita. 1612
The Holy Land by Abraham Ortelius.
[Item number: 28921]
Carte de la Terre Sainte Divisée dans Toutes ses Parties selon le nombre des Tribus d'Israel. 1719
Holy Land, by Zacharias Châtelain.
[Item number: 29383]
The most decorative map of the Holy Land to be included in a seventeenth century atlas
Palestina, sive Terrae Sanctae Descriptio. 1666
The Holy Land by Joannes Janssonius.
[Item number: 29972]
Terra Chanaan Ad Abrahami tempora, per populos XI Item per toparchias Idumeae Totidem et Stationes XLV. ad Mosis Tempora Seu Tabula digesta ad libros Genes. Exodi. Levit. Numer. et Deuteron. 1651
Historic map of the Land of Canaan from the time of Abraham up to the time of Moses, by Philippe de la Rue, published by Pierre Mariette.
[Item number: 30053]
Palestinae Delineatio Ad Geographiae Canones Revocata. 1641
Holy Land - Jerusalem by Philippe Briet, published by Pierre Mariette.
[Item number: 30056]
Regnum Iudeorum In Filios Herodis Magni. 1651
Historic map of the Kingdom of Judea in the time of Christ, by Philippe de la Rue, published by Pierre Mariette.
[Item number: 30060]
Terra Promissa in Sortes seu Tribus XII Distincta. 1651
The Promised Land divided among the 12 Tribes, by Philippe de la Rue, published by Pierre Mariette.
[Item number: 30061]
Geographiae Sacrae ex Veteri et Novo Testamento desumptae Tabula Secunda: in qua Terra Promissa, sive Iudaea in suas Tribus Partesq, distincta. 1665
Holy Land by Nicolas Sanson.
[Item number: 30105]
Regnum Salomonicum Seu Tabula digesta ad Libros Judicum, Regum, Paral. et Prophetarum. 1651
Historic map of the Kingdom of Solomon divided into 12 provinces, by Philippe de la Rue, published by Pierre Mariette.
[Item number: 30106]
Pinax Geogpaphicus [sic] Patriarchatus Hierosolymitani [...] 1651
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem, by Philippe de la Rue, published by Pierre Mariette.
[Item number: 30120]
Superb old colouring, heightened with gold.
Het Beloofde Landt Canaan door wandelt van onsen Salichmaeker Iesu Christo, neffens syne Apostelen. 1663
Holy Land by Nicolaas Visscher.
[Item number: 30535]
Superb old colouring, heightened with gold.
Perigrinatie ofte Veertigh-Iarige Reyse der Kinderen Israëls. 1663
Holy Land, by Nicolaes Visscher I.
[Item number: 30538]
Holy Land map from the very rare van Liesveldt Bible
Die ghelegentheit ende die palen des lants van Beloften. 1532-1560
Holy Land by van Jacob van Liesveldt.
[Item number: 30549]
Terra Sancta quae in Sacris Terra Promissionis olim Palestina. 1645
Holy Land, by Willem Blaeu.
[Item number: 30914]
Iudaea seu Terra Sancta quae Hebraeorum sive Israelitarum in suas duodecim Tribus divisa; secretis ab invicem Regnis Iuda et Israel. 1692
Holy Land by N. Sanson, so-called published by Hubert Jaillot. (Pirated edition by Pierre Mortier).
[Item number: 31200]