Northamptonshire

Method Copper engraved with hand colour
Artist van den Keere, Pieter
Published [George Humble, c. 1646]
Dimensions 83 x 120 mm
Notes A small, decorative map of Northamptonshire from Pieter van den Keere's 'England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland Described'. The plates were engraved between 1599 and 1609, and first published by William Blaeu in 1617 with plate numbers and Latin text. They then passed to George Humble, who published them as a miniature atlas to accompany John Speed's 'Theatre'. In total, 63 maps were featured in van den Keere's atlas, which were arranged in the same sequence as Speed's 'Theatre', and featured English text on the backs that was a word-for-word reprinting of the text featured in Speed's atlas. Although three editions of the atlas exist - 1627, 1632, and 1646 - the plates for the maps remained unaltered. The layout of the text on the reverse of the maps differed from edition to edition, and the progressive wear and damage also assist in dating the editions. Between 1662 and 1668, Roger Rea reissued the atlas, with several of the damaged and worn plates being re-engraved, or replaced.

Pieter van den Keere (1571- c.1646), also known frequently as Petrus Kaerius, came to England in 1584, as a Protestant refugee from his home town of Ghent with his sister Colette, who married Jodocus Hondius, in 1587. It was probably from Hondius that Keere learned to engrave. Both engravers left London in 1593 to settle in Amsterdam.

Condition: Good impression. Slight wear to plate. Slight overall time toning. Minor ink offset to plate mark.
Framing mounted
Price £140.00
Stock ID 46246

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