----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Two remarks to Yves Tessier's comment:
 
1. The statement that Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of 1570 is
the "very first atlas" depends largely on the definition of an atlas.
Ptolemy editions from the late 15th and 16th century (with or without a
section of 'modern' maps), Lafreri-atlases, manuscript chart books etc. can
also be considered as atlases (see Akerman, 1991).
 
2. Mercator's 1595 Atlas - the first book with the title Atlas - is a
posthumously published, very incomplete edition of the multi-volume
cosmography as planned by Gerard Mercator and described in his 1569
Chronologia. "Atlas" was intended to be the title for the complete work, the
section with modern geographical maps (the 2nd book of the 1595 Atlas) was
entitled simply 'Geographia Nova Totius Mundi'.  In my article 'From Atlas
to atlas' (Van der Krogt 1994), I described how it was possible that the
title of Mercator's incomplete work became the general term for a 'book with
(cartographical) plates'.
 
Akerman (1991): On the shoulders of a Titan: viewing the world of the past
in atlas structure / James  Richard Akerman. -Thesis, submitted in partial
fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of doctor in philosophy, Pennsylvania State
University 1991.
 
Van der Krogt (1994): Van Atlas tot atlas. - In: Kartografisch Tijdschrift
20(1994)3, pp. 11-18. (summarized version in English, without annotations:
From Atlas to atlas. - In Mercator's World 1(1996)1, pp. 61-63 & 93).
 
 
 
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
 
Dr Peter van der Krogt
Map Historian, Explokart Research Program
Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Utrecht
P.O. Box 80 115, 3508 TC UTRECHT, The Netherlands
Private address:   Mijerstraat 20, 2613 XM  DELFT, The Netherlands
e-mail: [log in to unmask] (private) or [log in to unmask] (university)
fax: +31 15 212 6063
 
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYY PER ANGUSTA AD AUGUSTA YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY