Abraham Ortelius, under the spell of classical antiquity

Abraham Ortelius (1527 – 1598) is generally recognised as having created the first modern atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terarum (Theatre of the World), published in Antwerp in 1570. He is also believed to be the first person to have questioned the early historical maps, proposing instead that the continents had been joined together before drifting apart to their current position. Ortelius also had a passionate interest in the history of classical antiquity and in Biblical history. He was a keen numismatist. His collection included coins dating back to the latter years of the Roman Empire. To him, coins, and especially Roman coins, brought to life the history of those times.

It is not without reason, therefore, that Ortelius finds his place in the Rockox House. Nicolaas Rockox(1560-1640) and Ortelius (1527-1598) were friends. They shared a passion for collecting coins. Rockox had all Ortelius’s major publications in his library, and a portrait of Ortelius hung in Rockox’s ‘art room’.

This exhibition will include a range of historical maps together with some printed works showing Ortelius’s reconstructions. Visitors will be able to follow how he collected his knowledge and then visualised it in map book form.

Abraham Ortelius, under the spell of classical antiquity is a joint venture with the Plantin-Moretus Museum / Print Collection in Antwerp, co-organised by Dr Dirk Imhof, curator of the Plantin-Moretus Museum and Hildegarde Van de Velde, curator of the Rockox House Museum.

Museum Rockox house 
Keizerstraat 12 
2000 Antwerp

Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 10am - 17pm

Admission
Last admissions at 4.30pm. The museum is closed on Mondays, on January 1 and 2, on Ascension Day and on December 25 and 26.  

Entrance to the museum is free for all on the last Wednesday of the month.

Guided tours

For groups

Maximum 20 participants 
Price: € 75 (+ admission fee) , € 50 for a school 
Duration: 1 hour and a half 

Bookings

Please make reservations at least three weeks prior to your visit by filling in the online form. We will contact you in order to confirm your reservation.

Contact

Educational department 
T +32 (0)3 224 95 61 
F +32 (0)3 248 08 10