Európa - -; A. Ortelius - Europae - 1561-1580

Iconic first atlas map of Europe from Abraham Ortelius’s *Theatrum Orbis Terrarum*, which is regarded as the first modern world atlas in history. The beautiful figurative title cartouche depicts the mythological scene of the abduction of Europa by Zeus, who has taken the form of a bull.

First edition of the map (first plate, first state of the map with "Africae Pars" written in Roman letters rather than in italics, as in the second edition of the map).

From a 1570 Latin edition of the *Theatrum Orbis Terrarum* (Latin text verso).
In the year of the atlas’s first edition (1570), three Latin editions were published; the map shown here is from edition ‘C’; see P.: Koeman’s *Atlantes Neerlandici*, 31:001C

With a fine paper watermark of ‘crossed arrows’

see Van den Broecke, M.: Ortelius Atlas Maps, No. 4; Van der Krogt, P.: Koeman’s Atlantes Neerlandici, 1000:31A, 31:001

image size 34 x 46,5 cm

Condition
very good condition, beautiful contemporary color, wide margins, minor stains, professionally repaired center fold tear at the bottom extending 3 cm into the image, two small holes in the upper white margin