Nicolas de Fer

Planisphere Celeste

Intricately engraved double hemisphere map showing star constellations. Based on the studies of Philippe de La Hire of the French Academy of Sciences.

De Fer (1646-1720) was the son of a prominent engraver and produced his first map in 1669. He joined his father's business in 1673 and ultimately took over in 1687. He was a prolific map maker who produced over six hundred separate maps in multiple forms; as separate issues, bound within history and travel books, and as atlases. In the late 17th century he was made Geographer to the Dauphin.

This intricate map shows the position of the star constellations after the studies of Philippe de La Hire, a mathematician, painter and astronomer. His expertise was such that he was noted by a distinguished contemporary Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, as an "academy unto himself".

The map is beautifully decorated with several classical figures including Selene the moon goddess and Apollo, god of sun, as well as Mercury and Mars. There are also several images of planets according to Cassini (also a contemporary and acquaintance of de La Hire) as well as larger images of the Sun and the Moon, according to Athanasius Kircher and Cassini respectively.

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