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Description

Striking celestial chart, with map of the northern hemisphere at the center, with the signs of the zodiac in a surrounding band, winged cherubim in the ether beyond; the map and zodiac band, from the 1708 Valk & Schenk edition of Andreas Cellarius' Harmonia Macrocosmica seu Atlas Universalis et Novus.

The chart illustrates the relative importance of astrology, even in the latter part of the 17th century, showing the primary astrological signs in border of the circle, with a network of lines delineating various relationships between the signs and the four humors-- melancholia, cholicus, etc.

Attractive celestial chart with the northern hemisphere, featuring California as an island, at the center. "Shows circular ring of zodiac symbols with lines connecting each to others. At center is map of the northern hemisphere, including California as an island with rounded northern coastline."

Burden notes:

This celestial chart is from Cellarius' famous atlas, like the previous item, and depicts the planetary aspects of the zodiac. Beautifully engraved by Joannes van Loon, it similarly bears a North Polar projection map, although this one is slightly larger at 120 mm. in diameter. Its greater size enables it to depict more detail. Two rivers in the west of North America flow south-westwards. The Rio del Norte of the period is unnamed, and to its north is the R. del nova. California is an Island, and farther north we find a large land mass entitled N.o Albion, separated from the mainland by Anian [though on this later state of the map Anian has been removed]. The map appears to be pro-English, identifying New England and Bermuda, but omitting any reference to New France or even New Netherlands. Florida is also identified...
Condition Description
Old Color, recently enhanced.
Reference
Burden 346; McLaughlin Celestial Charts 4.
Andreas Cellarius Biography

Andreas Cellarius was born in 1596 in Neuhausen and educated in Heidelberg. He emigrated to Holland in the early 17th century, and in 1637 moved to Hoorn, where he became the rector of the Latin School. Cellarius' best-known work is his Harmonia Macrocosmica, first issued in 1660 by Jan Jansson, as a supplement to Jansson's Atlas Novus. The work consists of a series of Celestial Charts begun by Cellarius in 1647 and intended as part of a two-volume treatise on cosmography, which was never issued.