In the 18th century, cartographers liked to include engravings of spheres and globes in their general atlases, as astronomy and the knowledge of the planets had become fashionable and a major part of the new-found discoveries in the "Age of Enlightenment." This engraving features four spheres on ornate rococo-style bases. Included are: two spheres showing the Copernican and Ptolemaic views of the solar system; a terrestrial globe centered on the eastern hemisphere, featuring the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia; a celestial globe featuring the constellations of Ursa Major, Perseus, Gemini, Scorpio, Taurus, Virgo and others.

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Condition: B+

A nice impression on a bright sheet with the watermark of a Maltese cross encircled in rosary beads. There is light soiling and minor foxing.