A Unique Presentation of Metellus's Work; The First Work to Bear the Title of his Magnum Opus. With Metellus's Asia, Africa, and Europe Atlases Combined in One Volume.
Fine and extremely attractive volume containing three of Metellus's atlases, combined to form a model for the most sought-after and rare of Metellus's atlases, the Speculum Orbis Terrae. With a manuscript title page, this example of the Speculum is dated to 1600 and represents the earliest association of this title with Metellus (the printed title page to bear this title dates to 1602). The book contains Metellus's Asia, Africa, and Europe atlases, replete with 182 attractive and very rare maps. This book is remarkable for a number of reasons, including the exceeding rarity of Metellus atlases both on the market and in institutions (only three examples of his Europe atlas are recorded), and because it represents a missing link in the publishing of Metellus atlases.
This unusual presentation starts with a manuscript title page that dates to 1600 and credits Cornelius Sutor's publishing house in Oberursel. The book then opens with Metellus's Asia Tabulis Aenis, containing eleven maps of the Far East, before the book continues with Metellus's Africa Ad Artis Geographicae. The Africa has seven maps but lacks the map of Fessae. The bulk of the book is in the third part, a reordered Europa Tabulis Aenis.
The ordering of this book reflects the organization of the 1602 Speculum, which also progresses through Asia, Africa, and Europe in the same order, although the organization of the Europe section is changed. The association of these three atlases with a manuscript title page suggests that the Speculum was conceived by Cornelius Sutor (the publisher of Metellus's posthumous atlas) two years before it was finally published. Metellus and Sutor's Speculum is considered one of the pinnacles of atlas collecting for a number of reasons, including the fact that it was the largest atlas ever produced when it was made, that it was one of the very few atlases to adhere to Mercator's ideal geographically divided atlas, and that it was read by Sir Walter Raleigh and his contemporaries. This example of the Speculum shows the basis for the organization of the 1602 edition and appears to be the earliest attempt to combine all of Metellus's maps in a single volume.
The many maps contained in this volume display the distinctive and attractive qualities of Cologne school maps, including large margins, Lafreri-like details such as stippled seas and rounded mountains, and italic typesetting. Produced for a European audience, many of the maps are titled in two or more languages, a feature rarely seen in Dutch, French, or Italian maps of the 16th century.
IOC plates in later (second?) states with plate numbers in the lower margins.
"In terms of the number of its volumes and maps, it was the largest atlas undertaking of the 16th century; in this regard, it was not surpassed until the middle of the 17th century, by the multi-volume atlases of Blaeu and Janssonius." - Meurer (translated)
Johannes Matalius Metellus
Johannes Metellus represented the archetypal 16th-century Northern European humanist. During his career, he resided in Bologna, Rome, Venice, Florence, England, Antwerp, Cologne, and Augsburg, among other cities. He overlapped with the greatest scholars and cartographers of his day, and was involved in some of the greatest atlas projects of all time. He consulted for Ortelius and Plantain on cartographic matters, while he also wrote the introduction for Volume III of Braun and Hogenberg's Civitates Orbis Terrarum.
Metellus was clearly a very highly regarded figure, and near the end of his life he started producing his own atlases in Cologne. His first work was the 1594 Franciae, Austrasiae, et Helvetiae, which featured maps of Europe and re-used plates from an anonymous earlier work, the Itinerarium orbis Christiani, to which Metellus is believed to have contributed. Metellus produced three more atlases before he died in 1597.
Metellus's largest atlases were all produced posthumously between 1600 and 1602 by an anonymous friend of Metellus, although the authorship of some of the plates that appeared in these volumes is unknown. The first four posthumous atlases, published in Oberursel by "Cornelius Sutor," appeared in 1600, and these were his continental atlases of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. 1601 saw the publication of Metellus's Insularium, a book on islands, and these five books were all joined in 1602 as part of a Speculum Orbis Terrae. The Speculum, which was ordered Asia; Africa; Europe; and the Americas, had island maps from the Insularium interspersed. The book was the largest atlas of its time, and would remain so until the Jannson - Blaeu rivalry of the middle of the 16th century.
Metellus and the rest of the Cologne School publishers, with the exception of Braun and Hogenberg who found their niche in city views, lagged too far behind the well-established Dutch atlas makers to establish themselves internationally. Despite their attractive maps, insightful cartography, and central European location, their maps were never as widely disseminated. For this reason, all Cologne School atlases, even the important Metellus atlases, remain rare today.
Rarity
Meurer records only three examples of the Europe atlas, at the Staatsbibliothek Berlin; the Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen; and the Staats- and Stadtbibliothek Augsburg. The Asia atlas is recorded in six institutions: Staatsbibliothek Berlin; the Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen; the Bayern State Library; the Staats- and Stadtbibliothek Augsburg; the British Library; and the Royal Library in Brussels. The Africa atlas is recorded in six examples, in the Staatsbibliothek Berlin; the Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen; the Staats- and Stadtbibliothek Augsburg; the Herzog August Bibliothek; and the Royal Library in Brussels.
Metellus's atlases are very uncommon to see on the market. Only three have appeared on the market in the last 15 years: Asia Tabulis Aenis; Franciae, Austrasiae, et Helvetiae, geographica historiaquae; and the Speculum Orbis Terrae. The example of the Speculum, for which this book appears to be the imminent predecessor, fetched about 390,000 dollars at Sotheby's, London, in 2019.
Collation
As previously stated, this book contains the Metellus Asia, Africa, and Europe atlases. These are complete with the exception of the Africa atlas, which lacks the map of Fessae. In addition, no title page to the Europe atlas is included in the book.
The Asia and Africa atlases are ordered as per usual. The Europe atlas is completely re-ordered, in a very unusual manner that appears to have no parallel in any other known atlas. This part starts with the first eighteen maps in the correct order, before including maps 122 - 158 (using Meurer's collation). Then, the atlas proceeds to maps 19 to 121. Maps 159 - 163 appear between map 18 and map 53. This decision to reorder is understood to result in a focus on more general, country-wide maps at the start of the book before proceeding with local German, French, and Dutch maps at the end.
A previous collation of this work has suggested that the book includes maps from the Itinerarium Orbis Christiani that are not present in the Metellus Europa Tabulis Aenis. This does not appear to be the case, as the maps which are suggested to have appeared in the Itinerarium are reported by Meurer to have been reused by Metellus in the Europa. Thus, this part is simply a rearranged Europa.
The maps included in the work are the following:
Asia
- Asia
- Iaponia Regnum
- Magni Tartari Imperium
- Regnum Chinae
- Regnum Sian
- Regnum Narsingae
- Calecuty Regnum
- Magni Mogori Imperium
- Persiae Regnum
- Natoliam
- Syria
- Arabia
Africa
- Africa
- Babaria
- Aegyptus
- Lybia & Nigritarum Terra
- Regnu Congo
- Presbiteri Iohannis Imperium
- Regnum Monomotapae
[Europe]
- Europa
- Septentrionalium Terrarum descriptio 1597
- Islandia Insula
- Anglia Scotia et Hibernia
- Hibernia Irlandt Irlande
- Anglia Lat Ingilaterra Itali Engellandt Ger Angleterre. Gal
- Cambria Cambry Wales
- Scotia Regnum
- Daniae Regnu
- Sueciae Regnum
- Moscovia
- Tavrica Chersonesus nostra aetate Przecpsca et Gazara dicta
- Lithuania
- Polonia Lithania Livonia
- Moldavia et Walachia Transalpina
- Transylvania
- Hungaria Ungarn
- Grecia Griechnlandt Grece
- Thracia nunc Romania
- Peloponnesus Nunc Morea
- Cretea Seu Candiae Insulai Descriptio
- Illyricum
- Italia
- Liguria nunc Oragenuensis
- Thuscia
- Perusini agri Descriptio
- Senensis Ditio
- Umbria nunc Spoletinus Ducatus
- Latium nunc Campagna di Roma
- Campania Foelix aut Terralaboris
- Lucania vulgo Basilicata
- Brutu nunc Calabria
- Magna Grecia nunc Calabria Superior
- Puglia Italice Terra di Otranto
- Apulia Peucetia nunc Terra Bariana
- Apulia Daunia nunc Apuliam Piana Vocant
- Samnitum Regio quae nunc Apricium
- Marchia Anconitana Olim Picenum
- Flaminia que et Romanula Nunc Vulgo Romandiola
- Regy et Modenae Territoriu
- Parmensis Placentiniq Ducatus Descriptio
- Alexandria Tortonae et Vogerae Territorium
- Montisferati Marchionatus
- Pedemontium Piedmont
- Rhetiae pars et Le Pontioru Regio
- Mediolanensis Ducatus
- Brixiae Territorium
- Agri Cremonensis Typus
- Mantuae Ducatus
- Verona Urbis Territorium
- Tyrolensis Comitatus pars ea ad Italiam spectat
- Vicentinae Urbis Territorium
- Territorium Patavinum
- Taruisini Agri Typus
- Forum tuly Friuli
- Histri Titerreich Istrie
- Ischia quae olim Aenaria
- Siciliae Regnum
- Malta Olim Melita Insula
- Germania
- Frisia Orientalis
- Aldeburgensis Comitatus
- Bremensis Episcopatus
- Hoisatia Holstein Holsatie
- Megapolitanus Ducatus Vulgo Meclenburg
- Pomerania & Brandenburg
- Prussia Lat Preussen Ger
- Livonia
- Marca Brandenburgensis & Pomerania
- Lawenburgensis et Luneburginsis Ducatus
- Westphalia Westphalen Westphalie
- Brunsuicensis Ducatus
- Mansfeldia Mansfeltt Mansfelt
- Meydburgensis Archi Episcopatus
- Misnia Meissen Misne
- Lusatiae Marchionatus [Inverted]
- Silesia Schlesien Silesie
- Morauia Merhern
- Bohemia
- Thurangia Thuringen Thuringie
- Hassia Hesse Hessen
- Comitatus Waldeckensis De Franschaftt Baldeck La Conte de Waldeck
- Arnspergicus Comitatuset Coloniensis Diocesis Superior
- Marchiae Comitatus
- Clibia Cleue Cleues
- Iulia Bulich Iulliers
- Listhunss Luttich Leuesche De Liege
- Trier
- Franconia Franckenlandt
- Palatinatus Superior Bavariae
- Austria Archiducatus
- Stiria Steyr march Stiremarche
- Carinthia Karntn carinthie
- Episcopatus Salczburgensis
- Bavariae Ducatus
- Tyrol
- Sweviae Circulus Duwrtenberg hett
- Wurtemberg la Duche de Wirtemberg
- Belgium Il Paese Basso Niderlandt Le Pays Bas
- Brabantiae Ducatus Brabans
- Limburgensis Ducatus et Comitatus Valkenburgensis et Dalemsis
- Lutzenburgensis Ducatus Lutzenburg Hertzogthumb
- Geldriae Ducatus Hesserens Hertzogthumb
- Flandria Hiacndercn Fiandra Elandren
- Artesia
- Nobilis Commitatus Hannoniae Henegav Hanailutt
- Hollandiae Comitatus Hollant
- Zutphaniae Comitatus
- Zelandia
- Conamur Cum Namur
- Frisia Occidetalis
- Ultraiectensis Episcopatus
- Transinsula Ditio
- Groningense Territorium
- Francia Franckreich
- Caletense Terr Territoire de Calais
- Boloniensis Comitatus Lacomtede Boloigne
- Ponthieu Comitatus
- Normannia Normandie Gallice
- Picardia Picardie Galli
- Veromanduorum Comitatus La Comte de Vermandois
- Bellosiana Regio La Beausse Gallice
- Campania Etbria Champaigne et Brie Galli
- Cenomania Le Mans Gallice
- Bellosiana Regio La Beausse Gallice
- Burgundiae Ducatu Bourgogne Duche
- Britannia Bretagne Gallic
- Andegaunsis Ducatus Aniou Herzogthumb
- Briturigus Berry Gallice
- Pictauia Poictou
- Borbonia Borbonnois Niuernesium Niuernois
- Angolismia Engoulesme Santones Xantonge Rupella La Rochelle
- Limogiana Provincia Limosin Gallice
- Arvernia Auvergne Gallice
- Limania Vulgo Limaigne
- Lugduenesium Lyonnois Gallice
- Delphinatus Dauphine Gallice
- Vasconia Gascogne gallice Guienna Guienne
- Periguria Perigort Cadurcorum regio Quercy
- Languedoci Languedoc Gallice
- Provincia La Provence
- Venaissinus Comitatus La Comte devenissy Auraicensis Principatus La Principaut Dorenge
- Lotharingiae Lorraine Gallica
- Pallatinatus Bavaria Pfaliz am Rhein
- Alsatia Inferior
- Alsatia Superior
- Sunggoia Sungow
- Burgundiae Comitatus La Franch Comte
- Sabaudia Sauoye Gallice
- Nuitlandia Uchtlandia
- Argovia Tuguri Praeff Turgouia
- Rhethia Grawbundt Grisons Gallice
- Valesiae Wallisser Landt
- Hispania Espana
- Castilia Estrema Dura Aesturie Navarra
- Galitia Galizia hisp
- Portugallia Portugal
- Andalusia Andaluzia Hisp
- Hispalensis Conventus Delinatio
- Granatae Regnu Reyno de Granada
- Valentiae Regnu Reyno de Valentia Hispa
- Aragonia et Catalonia Aragon y Cataluna
- Guipuscoa Guipuzcua hisp
Johannes Matalius Metellus, also known as Jean Matal or Johannes Metellus Sequanas, was born in Poligny, Burgundy, France in ca. 1517. A humanist scholar, he was a polymath devoted to cartography, geography, law, paleography, and antiquarianism. Late in life he published a series of atlases; all his maps and atlases are rare and highly sought-after.
Matal was educated at Dole, Freiburg, and several Italian institutions. At Bologna, he met Antonio Agustín, a Spanish legal scholar, who recruited Matal to be his secretary. Together, the men researched ecclesiastical law, with an especial emphasis on Roman legal manuscripts, with trips to Venice, Florence, and elsewhere in Italy to study codices. In 1555, the two traveled to England to meet with Queen Mary on a mission for the Church.
After leaving his employment with Agustín, Matal traveled in the Low Countries and eventually settled in Cologne. There, he mixed with other savants, including especially Georg Cassander and Pedro Ximénez. It was in Cologne that Matal began his serious interest in mapmaking. He contributed to Braun and Hogenberg’s Civitae Orbis Terrarum; Georg Braun described him in glowing terms, “vir omni scientiarum genere praestans"—"a man outstanding in every form of knowledge."
Late in life, Matal began preparing a set of maps of the entire world. In 1594, he published an atlas of France, Austria, and Switzerland (39 maps), in 1595 an atlas of Spain (10 maps), and, posthumously, an atlas of Italy (37 maps), and one of Germany and the Netherlands (55 maps). Many of these maps were combined and augmented into atlases of Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the world’s islands. In 1602, a compendium work showcased all of these previous works called Speculum Orbis Terrae; this atlas was well received by contemporaries like Walter Raleigh and is very rare today. Many of these maps and atlases were released after his death in 1598, they were finished by his friend and fellow mapmaker Conrad Loew (Matthias Quad).