Historical map Europa recens descripta, by Guilielmo Blaeuw, handmade paper

Historical Map of Europe – Willem Blaeu (17th century)

This reproduction depicts one of the most famous maps of Europe from the early modern period, created by the renowned Dutch cartographer Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571–1638). The map dates from the first half of the 17th century and was part of his renowned atlases, which were among the pinnacles of European cartography during the so-called Golden Age of the Netherlands.

The map depicts Europe from the Atlantic Ocean to Ukraine and from the Arctic Ocean to North Africa and the Ottoman Empire. It reflects the geographical knowledge of its time and simultaneously documents the political divisions of the continent at that time. Territories are distinguished by hand-colored borders, and major cities, rivers, mountain ranges, and trade routes are depicted with the extraordinary precision that made Blaeu’s maps famous throughout Europe.

The rich ornamentation consists of medallions featuring vedute of major European cities, including Prague, Rome, Venice, London, and Constantinople. The sides of the map depict period clothing of various European nations, and merchant and warships sail across the seas, highlighting the importance of maritime trade and overseas exploration in the 17th century.

• Paper weight: 240 g/m²
• Paper color: ivory
• Format: A2
• Dimensions: 42 × 59.4 cm
• Handmade in the Czech Republic

The handmade paper mill in Velké Losiny, Czech Republic, continues a tradition of papermaking dating back to the 16th century. To this day, paper is produced here by hand from cotton and linen fibers using methods that have remained virtually unchanged for centuries.

Products from Velké Losiny are used for artistic creations, diplomas, certificates, wedding invitations, and other formal printed materials. Each sheet bears the marks of handcrafted work,