Blaeu's Carte-a-Figures Map of Europe in Full Contemporary Color

"Europa Recens Descripta", Blaeu, Willem

This classic map of Europe is presented in the carte-de-figures style with vignettes on three sides. The upper frieze has nine bird's-eye views of Amsterdam, Prague, Constantinople, Venice, Rome, Paris, London, Toledo and Lisbon. The side borders contain the costumes of the noblemen and women of ten European nations. The map is embellished with sailing ships, sea monsters, bears and Neptune riding a dolphin and holding his trident. A beautiful map produced at the height of the Golden Age of Dutch mapmaking; it was included in the first volume of Blaeu's magnificent atlas. French text on verso, published between 1635-38.

References: Goss (Blaeu) #4, p.30; Van der Krogt (Vol. II) #1000:2.

Condition: B+

A nice impression with full contemporary color on a lightly toned sheet with a faint stain at bottom center and a dark stain in the top margin. There are repairs to separations along the centerfold at top and bottom, a couple of short tears adjacent to the centerfold, and a chip in the bottom left corner. There are a few additional tiny tears and chips along the edges of the sheet.