Klencke Atlas
Encyclopedia
Klencke Atlas is one of the world's largest atlases. It is 1.75 metres tall (about 5 ft, 9in) by 1.9 metres wide when open (about 6 ft, 3in), and so heavy the British Library reportedly had six people to carry it. It is a world atlas, made up of 37 maps on 39 sheets. The maps were intended to be removed and displayed on the wall. The maps are of the continents and assorted European states and it was said to encompass all the geographical knowledge of the time. Dutch Prince John Maurice of Nassau
is credited with its creation, and it contains engravings by artists Blaeu
and Hondius
and others. It was presented by a consortium of Dutch merchants, led by Professor Johannes Klencke
, to King Charles II of England in 1660 to mark the occasion of his restoration to the throne. Johannes Klencke was the son of a Dutch merchant family. Charles, a map enthusiast, kept it in the 'Cabinet and Closset or rarities' in Whitehall.
In 1828 King George III gave it to the British Library
as part of a larger gift of maps and atlases. In the 1950s it was re-bound and restored. Today it is held by the Antiquarian Mapping division of the British Library
in London. Since 1998 it was displayed at the entrance lobby of the maps reading room. In April 2010 it was publicly displayed for the first time in 350 years with pages open, at an exhibition at the British Library.
Up until 2010 the Klencke Atlas was widely regarded as the world's largest atlas, a record it probably held since the atlas was created 450 years earlier. In October 2010 Australian publisher Gordon Cheers published a new atlas called Earth that is bigger by about a foot, making it probably the largest atlas in the world; only 31 copies were made and sold for $100,000 each.
John Maurice of Nassau
John Maurice of Nassau was count and prince of Nassau-Siegen.He was born in Dillenburg...
is credited with its creation, and it contains engravings by artists Blaeu
Blaeu
Blaeu is the name of* Willem Janszoon Blaeu or Willem Blaeu, Dutch cartographer not to be confused with Willem Janszoon, a contemporary Dutch explorer* his sons Joan Blaeu and Cornelius Blaeu, cartographers...
and Hondius
Hondius
Hondius can refer to two possibly unrelated families of engravers and cartographers, who both moved from Flanders to the Dutch Republic in the 1590s:* Amsterdam family originating from Ghent:** Jodocus Hondius ** Jodocus Hondius II Hondius can refer to two possibly unrelated families of engravers...
and others. It was presented by a consortium of Dutch merchants, led by Professor Johannes Klencke
Johannes Klencke
Johannes Klenck or Klenckius was a Dutch teacher in philosophy at the Athenaeum Illustre in Amsterdam.-Life:...
, to King Charles II of England in 1660 to mark the occasion of his restoration to the throne. Johannes Klencke was the son of a Dutch merchant family. Charles, a map enthusiast, kept it in the 'Cabinet and Closset or rarities' in Whitehall.
In 1828 King George III gave it to the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
as part of a larger gift of maps and atlases. In the 1950s it was re-bound and restored. Today it is held by the Antiquarian Mapping division of the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
in London. Since 1998 it was displayed at the entrance lobby of the maps reading room. In April 2010 it was publicly displayed for the first time in 350 years with pages open, at an exhibition at the British Library.
Up until 2010 the Klencke Atlas was widely regarded as the world's largest atlas, a record it probably held since the atlas was created 450 years earlier. In October 2010 Australian publisher Gordon Cheers published a new atlas called Earth that is bigger by about a foot, making it probably the largest atlas in the world; only 31 copies were made and sold for $100,000 each.
External links
- (Picture) "Largest book in the world goes on show for the first time", The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 26 January 2010 - Magnificent Maps: Power, Propaganda and Art, exhibition at British Library, 30 Apr 2010 - Sun 19 Sep 2010