The map is one of the most outstanding inventions of mankind. She has always been more than just a navigation tool. Throughout history, people followed the maps, created and constantly updated them to pave their way around the world. Maps were used to illustrate discoveries and convey new ideas.

The earliest maps were discovered by archaeologists among the cave paintings. Their gradual development led to the era of great geographical discoveries. In the 16th century, they were a mixture of fantasy, real knowledge and assumptions. Cartography has become a real art. Antique cards are highly regarded by collectors today.

Abraham Ortelius is a key figure in the history of cartography. He is known as the inventor of the atlas book containing several maps under one cover.

Ortelius was born in Antwerp, Belgium, on April 14, 1527, at the height of the era of humanism. At this time, in Western Europe, there was a revival in the study of classical antiquity, history, the Greek language and philosophy. The 16th century was a time of research, revolutionary inventions, and a new world view.

Ortelia was fascinated by new discoveries and travels. He began to collect books, prints, paintings, wall maps and coins from all over Europe. During one of his trips to Poitiers, France, Ortelius met the cartographer Gerard Mercator, who inspired him to draw up maps on his own. The career of the master began in 1547 with the post of colorist cartographer in the guild of St. Luke in Antwerp. He then continued with Plantin in 1587. The first maps of Ortelius were large wall maps of the world, Egypt, the Holy Land, Asia, Spain and the Roman Empire – and since then it has been hooked.

The world’s first atlas

The first atlas of Ortelius was called Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Spectacle of the circle of the earth). First printed in 1570, it contained a collection of 53 cards, made in the same style and size, on copper plates and located on continents and regions. There were almost no maps in the atlas created by Ortelius himself, but he admired the maps of other masters, on each of them a source was indicated.

Theatrum Orbis Terrarum was so successful that it had to be reprinted 4 times in the first year of publication. In the period from 1570 to 1612, the atlas survived 42 reprints in 7 languages, including Latin, English, German, Flemish, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Ortelia World Map

Although the Atlas did not contain many maps of Ortelius, it represented the most famous – Typus Orbis Terrarum (1570). Perhaps one of the most iconic maps ever created, it covers the whole world from pole to pole, revealing the shape and size of continents based on the knowledge of the time.

Ortelius designed the map in accordance with previous maps of the world from other cartographers, but he also added new information based on his own guesses and estimates. At the time of the map, most of North America had not yet been explored. There is no Mississippi River and Great Lakes on it.

Many objects on the map were based on new information from researchers. For example, the shores of Southeast Asia and the Indian archipelago appeared as a result of Portuguese travels, and knowledge of the Asian world was based on travel reports from Marco Polo from the 13th century.

A map of Ortelia was created before the official discovery of Australia, but it has an image of the earth named Terra Australis Nondum Cognita (Unknown Southern Land). This suggests that researchers already assumed its existence, but have not yet fully proved it. The map also illustrates Papua New Guinea, almost annexed to the southern lands, with a Latin text explaining: “New Guinea, recently discovered. It is not known whether it is an island or part of the Southern continent. ”

Mythical Sea Monsters

Perhaps this tradition was influenced by Greco-Roman images of mythological animals. However, Ortelius was one of the last cartographers who agreed to include them in his cards. The Atlas of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum was published at a time when cartographers began to prefer science and accuracy instead of aesthetics.

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These sculptures seem earthly and alien at the same time. They are bizarre and at the same time extremely understandable. Bulky, angular, threatening to fall on you at any moment. Some, it seems, had long had to soar into the night sky and dissolve into space, but their depressing heaviness became their enemy.

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For some, she was a calculating predator, for others, an angel in the flesh, a meek sheep. From the very beginning, her life was not easy. Francoise was born in prison, where her parents fell for debt on the orders of Cardinal Richelieu. In addition, his father was suspected of spying for England.

All her youth passed in ordeals. Relatives did not come up with anything better than giving the girl to a nun. But Francoise herself did not agree with this. At age 12, she fled to her father in Martinique, where he settled after leaving prison. Amazing events happened to her: the girl caught a fever, then plunged into a lethargic dream and woke up an hour before her own funeral. The story of the Marquise de Maintenon is the story of Cinderella. Cutlets played an important role in it.

It so happened that in 1660, Francoise was without money. Madame de Montespan, the mother of the children of King Louis XIV, offered her a side job – to become a governess. She did it pretty well. At first, Francoise brought up one illegitimate descendant, and eventually all six.

In the meantime, Madame de Montespan, who had become obnoxious over the years, irritated the king more and more. In the end, accused of intent to poison him, she was expelled from Paris.

Francoise did not waste time in vain and every morning sent the king letters with a story about how his children had spent the previous day and what successes had been achieved. More and more, Louis liked to talk with a modest governess. Francoise was well versed in music, literature, painting, theater, as well as cutlets. The following story is connected with cutlets.

A certain Madame de Champwallon decided to get to the king’s heart through his stomach. Once, taking advantage of the lack of a marquise, she cooked lamb cutlets and presented them to the king.

Tom liked the treat, and he began to show signs of attention. Madame cooked lamb cutlets by laying them between layers of onions and potatoes, then baked in the oven. The Marquise realized that her position had been hit, but she was not going to give up. Well, if he likes lamb cutlets so much, then hold on! She fried meat on both sides, and then poured bechamel sauce, added champignons, bread rolls, poured melted butter and baked in the oven. The king lost interest in Madame de Champwallon. Justice has been restored.

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The Sannouno building in Okazaki was a two-story structure that was transformed into three working levels thanks to the smart and creative use of the roof. On the first floor there is a working space – open space, on the second – a small kitchen and dining room. Well, the roof has become an innovative location on which the office literally comes to life. There is a small glazed living room where employees can work, have lunch or hold meetings. The trees, as if sprouting through the roof from the first floor, make the place cozy and relaxing. This is a great space for those who want to stay in the fresh air and relax from the bustling atmosphere of a densely populated area.

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