Antique Map of Jerusalem by Berchem (1669)

Description: Antique map titled 'Ierusalem.' Bird's eye plan of the ancient city of Jerusalem based on Villalpando's foundation map. The plan shows only the major religious sites, uncluttered by habitations and is beautifully engraved to show the surrounding topography. Jerusalem, with the temple of Solomon. The decorated borders show the Ark of the Covenant, Altar of Incense, Table of shew bread, seven armed Candelabrumm, Tabernacle, King Salomon and the High Priest. At top there is a large elevation of the Temple Salomons. French text on verso. From the large folio French Elzevier bible published in 1669.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Nicolaes Berchem' after 'I. Elzevier'. Abraham Blooteling (1640-1690) and Jan de Visscher (1632-1692). The Elzevier publishing house was a natural choice for the publication of this new French edition of the Bible. Established in 1581 by Louis Elzevier, a Protestant émigré from Louvain, the firm flourished in the seventeenth century. Through the years, 15 members of the Elzevier family assumed control of the business, operating printing shops in Leiden, The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam. The Elzeviers specialized in learned books that were noted for excellence of typography and design. Although the fame of the publishing house did not rest solely with biblical publications, in 1663 Elzevier had published in large format an especially splendid edition of the Statenbijbel, the authorized version of the Dutch Bible.