Joan Blaeu's original 11-volume masterwork Atlas Maior was completed in 1665. Containing 596 maps, Atlas Maior put Blaeu ahead of his competitor, mapmaker Johannes Janssonius. The rivalry between the two inspired Blaeu to produce one of the finest editions of the largest and most complete atlas to date. Covering Arctica, Europe, Africa, Asia, and America, Blaeu's Atlas Maior was a phenomenal example of mapmaking. This reprint is made from the National Library of Vienna's complete, colored, gold-heightened copy, thus assuring the best possible detail and quality. The book's introduction, by the University of Utrecht's Peter van der Krogt, discusses the historical and cultural context and significance of the atlas. Krogt also provides detailed descriptions of the maps, allowing modern readers to fully appreciate Blaeu's illustrated masterwork. Hardcover. English. 700 pages. 20.1" x 12.9" x 3.5".