Leo Belgicus - Netherlands in the shape of a lion, by Michael Aitzinger and Frans Hogenberg. 1583
In the upper left-hand corner the sea has the monogram of Michael Aitzinger (in the ship with caption: "Vela ventis".
At the top left within the frame is the list of governors of the Netherlands, the list of stadtholders of the XVII Provinces, their numbers of towns and villages, their coats of arms and their titles.
In the middle left text concerning the marriage of Philip II with Mary Tudor..
Between the feet of the lion historical texts about the wars France waged against Charles V and Philip II; and about the marriage of Philip II with Elisabeth of Valois.
At top right ample introduction by Michael von Aitzing.
This Leo Belgicus was in 1583 inserted into the book De Leone Belgico that Michael Von Aitsing wrote on the war of independence of the Netherlands. In the preface to his book Von Aitzing put forth his motives for choosing this particular title and for inserting the lion map. His basic idea is clear: the lion as a symbol of strength and bravery in its heraldic representation.
Michael von Eitzing (Aitzinger), 1530-1598
Michael von Eitzing, an Austrian nobleman, historian and publicist, was born in 1530 in Ober-Eitzing (Austria). He studied law, mathematics and ancient languages at the University of Vienna. From 1556 he regularly travelled to Flanders and the Spanish Netherlands. He continued his studies in Louvain but was arrested in 1568 and imprisoned for five years in Brussels due to religious troubles. In 1581 he moved to Cologne, and he died in Bonn in 1598.
Michael von Eitzing left a large number of works including a renowned volume that states the principles of a genealogical numbering system, called an Ahnentafel, that is still in use today. He also wrote and published several historical works, including Novus de Leone Belgico in 1583. It was a richly illustrated account of the wars of religion in the Netherlands with a series of engravings by Frans Hogenberg. It included the first cartographic representation of the Low Countries as Leo Belgicus. The lion motif symbolized the strength of the Netherlands.
Frans (Franz) Hogenberg (1535-1590)
Frans Hogenberg was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. He was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg.
By the end of the 1560s Frans Hogenberg was employed upon Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published in 1570; he is named as engraver of numerous maps. In 1568 he was bannend from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. There he immediately embarked on his two most important works, the Civitates published from 1572 and the Geschichtsblätter, which appeared in several series from 1569 until about 1587.
Thanks to such large scale projects as the Geschichtsblätter and the Civitates, Hogenberg's social circumstances improved with each passing year. He died as a wealthy man in Cologne in 1590.
Leo Belgicus.
Item Number: 14158 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > Europe > The Low Countries
Old, antique map - Leo Belgicus by Aitzinger M./ Hogenberg F.
Date of the first edition: 1583
Date of this map: 1583
Copper engraving
Size: 37 x 44.5cm (14.4 x 17.4 inches)
Verso: Blank
Condition: New side margins with reinstatement of part of the neatline. Nice copy.
Condition Rating: B+
References: Van der Heijden (Leo Belg), 1.1. .
From: De Leone Belgico, ejusque Topographica atque Historica Descriptione Liber ... Cologne, 1583.
In the upper left-hand corner the sea has the monogram of Michael Aitzinger (in the ship with caption: "Vela ventis").
At the top left within the frame is the list of governors of the Netherlands, the list of stadtholders of the XVII Provinces, their numbers of towns and villages, their coats of arms and their titles.
In the middle left text concerning the marriage of Philip II with Mary Tudor.
Between the feet of the lion historical texts about the wars France waged against Charles V and Philip II; and about the marriage of Philip II with Elisabeth of Valois.
At top right ample introduction by Michael von Aitzing.
This Leo Belgicus was in 1583 inserted into the book De Leone Belgico that Michael Von Aitsing wrote on the war of independence of the Netherlands. In the preface to his book Von Aitzing put forth his motives for choosing this title and for inserting the lion map. His basic idea is clear: the lion as a symbol of strength and bravery in its heraldic representation.
In the upper left-hand corner the sea has the monogram of Michael Aitzinger (in the ship with caption: "Vela ventis".
At the top left within the frame is the list of governors of the Netherlands, the list of stadtholders of the XVII Provinces, their numbers of towns and villages, their coats of arms and their titles.
In the middle left text concerning the marriage of Philip II with Mary Tudor..
Between the feet of the lion historical texts about the wars France waged against Charles V and Philip II; and about the marriage of Philip II with Elisabeth of Valois.
At top right ample introduction by Michael von Aitzing.
This Leo Belgicus was in 1583 inserted into the book De Leone Belgico that Michael Von Aitsing wrote on the war of independence of the Netherlands. In the preface to his book Von Aitzing put forth his motives for choosing this particular title and for inserting the lion map. His basic idea is clear: the lion as a symbol of strength and bravery in its heraldic representation.
Michael von Eitzing (Aitzinger), 1530-1598
Michael von Eitzing, an Austrian nobleman, historian and publicist, was born in 1530 in Ober-Eitzing (Austria). He studied law, mathematics and ancient languages at the University of Vienna. From 1556 he regularly travelled to Flanders and the Spanish Netherlands. He continued his studies in Louvain but was arrested in 1568 and imprisoned for five years in Brussels due to religious troubles. In 1581 he moved to Cologne, and he died in Bonn in 1598.
Michael von Eitzing left a large number of works including a renowned volume that states the principles of a genealogical numbering system, called an Ahnentafel, that is still in use today. He also wrote and published several historical works, including Novus de Leone Belgico in 1583. It was a richly illustrated account of the wars of religion in the Netherlands with a series of engravings by Frans Hogenberg. It included the first cartographic representation of the Low Countries as Leo Belgicus. The lion motif symbolized the strength of the Netherlands.
Frans (Franz) Hogenberg (1535-1590)
Frans Hogenberg was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. He was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg.
By the end of the 1560s Frans Hogenberg was employed upon Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published in 1570; he is named as engraver of numerous maps. In 1568 he was bannend from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. There he immediately embarked on his two most important works, the Civitates published from 1572 and the Geschichtsblätter, which appeared in several series from 1569 until about 1587.
Thanks to such large scale projects as the Geschichtsblätter and the Civitates, Hogenberg's social circumstances improved with each passing year. He died as a wealthy man in Cologne in 1590.