[Title Pages from Atlas Historique – Vol VII]

This exquisite pair of leaves from the seventh and final volume of the Atlas Historique represents the aesthetic and intellectual peak of the monumental series. Featuring a frontispiece engraved by the celebrated Bernard Picart, the imagery moves beyond mere geography to celebrate the ‘order of history’ through genealogy and heraldry. Edited by the historian Henri Philippe de Limiers, Volume VII acts as a definitive record of the European aristocracy following the pivotal treaties of the early 18th century. The title page, with its elegant two-tone printing, stands as a testament to the high-water mark of Dutch book production. These sheets are a vital acquisition for those tracing the evolution of the Atlas Historique from a collection of maps into a comprehensive, multidisciplinary record of Western civilization. The seven-volume work was originally published in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720, with maps by Henri Abraham Chatelain (though numerous scholars were involved in the overall effort). More than a mere geographical reference, this tremendous collective effort offers a remarkable synthesis of cosmography, history, religion, and ethnology. The inclusion of descriptive text alongside intricate charts and diagrams provided 18th-century readers with a comprehensive “worldview” that bridged the gap between the Renaissance tradition and the dawning Enlightenment.