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The 1640 map titled Terra Di Bari et Basilicata, by the eminent Dutch cartographer Willem Blaeu, represents a detailed and artfully executed depiction of the southeastern regions of Italy.
The map shows the territories of Bari and Basilicata. One of the most striking features of this map is its elaborate cartouches, which are richly decorated and imbued with cultural symbolism. The main cartouche, located in the lower right corner, features allegorical figures and the coat of arms of the region, signifying the governance and heritage of Terra di Bari and Basilicata. These figures are typically depicted in classical attire, symbolizing justice, authority, and prosperity.
Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638) was a prominent Dutch geographer and publisher. Born the son of a herring merchant, Blaeu chose not fish but mathematics and astronomy for his focus. He studied with the famous Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, with whom he honed his instrument and globe making skills. Blaeu set up shop in Amsterdam, where he sold instruments and globes, published maps, and edited the works of intellectuals like Descartes and Hugo Grotius. In 1635, he released his atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive, Atlas novus.
Willem died in 1638. He had two sons, Cornelis (1610-1648) and Joan (1596-1673). Joan trained as a lawyer, but joined his father’s business rather than practice. After his father’s death, the brothers took over their father’s shop and Joan took on his work as hydrographer to the Dutch East India Company. Later in life, Joan would modify and greatly expand his father’s Atlas novus, eventually releasing his masterpiece, the Atlas maior, between 1662 and 1672.
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