Civitates Orbis Terrarum – Braun / Hogenberg 1574–1618

Civitates Orbis Terrarum – Braun / Hogenberg 1574–1618

In 1570, Dutch geographer and cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598) published his famous Theatrum Orbis Terrarum – the first modern and commercially successful atlas of the world. The sensational work fascinated Flemish engraver Frans Hogenberg (1535–1590) and Cologne theologian, canon, and dean Georg Braun (1541–1622) so much that they decided to supplement it with an extensive collection of fantastic city views and maps.

A View of the Larger, Wider World

The result was the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, which was first published in Latin in six volumes between 1572 and 1617. The volumes of the first German edition were published shortly thereafter, between 1574 and 1618, under the title Beschreibung und Contrafactur der Vornembster Stät der Welt (Description and Contrafactur of the Most Important Cities of the World). The mammoth work brings together over 600 colored copperplate engravings on a total of ca. 1,600 pages, showing the most well-known and important cities of the 16th century from a European perspective. The view extends beyond Europe to Africa, Asia, and even the Americas. It is thus considered the oldest comprehensive collection of realistic and supraregional city views. In conjunction with the extensive additional information that complements the artistic representations, they still convey the joy of discovery and the desire to explore the larger, wider world.

An Significant Historical Source

However, the work derives its outstanding historical significance primarily from its systematic mapping of the structures of many medieval European cities, which still dominated urban topographies at the time of its creation. Shortly after the publication of the complete work, they were largely destroyed or severely damaged during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and subsequently rebuilt in the Baroque style. The Civitates Orbis Terrarum thus offers a rare and valuable insight into the urban history of Europe, which is often difficult to reconstruct otherwise.

Artistic Teamwork

At first glance, this impressive work captivates with its more than 600 often double-page city views and maps, which are masterful, hand-colored copperplate engravings – each one a small work of art in its own right. In the first four volumes, they were created by Frans Hogenberg himself, with the Flemish illuminator Georg Hoefnagel (1542–1590) participating. However, as Frans died in 1590, the year the fourth volume was published, his son Abraham and Simon Neuvelt continued his work in the last two volumes. Neither the artists involved nor Georg Braun drew on personal sketches and observations from their own travels. Instead, Braun provided them with various samples that he obtained through his numerous, well-traveled contacts.

Slices of Life

The work becomes a complete atlas in the modern sense thanks to the additional information contained in each individual city view. The cities are embedded in the surrounding landscapes and often feature genre scenes or staffage in the foreground. There, the inhabitants are depicted in their everyday activities, providing information about traditional clothing, customs, and habits. Coats of arms and additional individual elevations complement the comprehensive insight offered by the various city views. They are complemented by texts by Georg Braun, which contain detailed descriptions of the geography, history, and economy of the cities and countries. This makes the collection a real treasure trove for humanists with wide-ranging interests and education.