Planisphaerium coeleste.

Engr., 49,5 x 73,5 cm, contemp. hand-coloured, heightened in gold (margins frayed, browned, tears on vertical foldings). The copy would benefit from a proper restauration.

Mounted on cardboard.

Very rare and impressive celestial map, in a 1st state (2nd st.: Covens & Mortier), with the two hemispheres after Louis Vlasblom and from the celestial hemispheres in J. Blaeu's world map. Surrounded by 6 cosmographical diagrams showing Ptolemy's geocentric model, the heliocentric model of Copernicus, Tycho Brahe's Tychonic system, Philip Lansberg's scheme for the Earth's Rotation, Descartes' theory of tides (influenced by the moon) and P. Gassendi's diagram of lunar phases, all dramatically enhanced by dark stormy clouds. De Wit's celestial chart was published as a separate issue, but appears occ. in Allard’s 1705 "Atlas Major" and Sanson’s "Atlas Nouveau".
Ref. Koeman, AN I-All 1.