Creator Cellarius

Date 1660

‘Earth surrounded by the Heavens’, 1660, by Andreas Cellarius⁣⁣.⁣⁣(National Library of Australia)⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣Superb world map and star chart from the Celestial Atlas of Universal Harmony (Atlas coelestis; seu Harmonia Macrocosmica), considered by many to be the most beautiful celestial atlas ever published. The map shows the (pre-Copernican) Ptolemaic universe, with the earth fixed at the centre with the stars represented by a ribbon of zodiac rotating east to west.⁣⁣ Winged figures are depicted carrying astronomical and cartographical instruments (yes, cartographers dwell with angels!)..⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣The first traces of Australia (‘Nova Hollandia’) are shown with the northwest coast emerging from the East Indies and joined to New Guinea at Cape York. This was the extent of the known world - celestial and terrestrial in mid 17th Century. Indeed, European scientists knew more about the stars than the antipodes at this time.⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣Original Title: ‘Situs terrae circulis coelestibus circundatae’, engraved by J. Van Loon.⁣⁣

Source: National Library of Australia