Golden Age of Cartography

The Golden Age of Cartography in the Low Countries (c. 16th–17th centuries) was characterized by an exceptional concentration of knowledge, craftsmanship, and commercial innovation, closely linked to trade, maritime navigation, and scientific progress.

Gerardus Mercator (1512–1594) laid the scientific foundation for modern cartography. His 1569 world map introduced the Mercator projection, which depicted fixed course lines as straight lines and thus became essential for navigation. Mercator emphasized mathematical accuracy over decoration.

 

Mercator's world map

Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598) made cartography accessible and systematic with the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (1570), generally considered the first modern atlas. He brought existing maps together in a uniform format and provided them with critical source references, contributing to standardization and knowledge sharing.

First systematic World Atlas

Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571–1638) and later his son Joan Blaeu combined scientific precision with aesthetic refinement. Their atlases, culminating in the Atlas Maior, reflected both the geographical knowledge and the economic and political power of the Dutch Republic.

Atlas Maior (11 volumes)

Together, Mercator, Ortelius, and Blaeu embody the transition from medieval mapping traditions to a modern, empirically and commercially driven cartography, in which the Low Countries led the world.