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{{short description|Book by Andreas Cellarius}}
{{Infobox Book
| name = Harmonia Macrocosmica
| caption = PLANISPHÆRIVM COPERNICANVM. Plate 22 of the First Edition
| image = PLANISPHÆRIVM COPERNICANVM (CBL Rare Books AI788, plate 22).jpg
| author = [[Andreas Cellarius]]
| illustrator = Frederik Hendrik van den Hove, Johannes van Loon e.a.
| country = Netherlands
| language = Latin, Dutch, German, French
| publisher = Johannes Janssonius
| release_date = 1660
| media_type = Stellar Atlas
| notes = number of plates = 29
}}

{{No footnotes|date=April 2018}}

The '''''Harmonia Macrocosmica''''' is a [[star atlas]] written by [[Andreas Cellarius]] and published in 1660 by [[Johannes Janssonius]]. The first part of the atlas contains copper plate prints depicting the world systems of [[Claudius Ptolemy]], [[Nicolaus Copernicus]], and [[Tycho Brahe]]. At the end are star maps of the classical and further [[constellations]], the latter ones as introduced by [[Julius Schiller]] in his ''[[Coelum stellatum christianum]]'' of 1627.

For its importance in the [[history of cartography]], particularly of [[celestial cartography]], the ''Harmonia Macrocosmica'' is considered one of the notable masterworks from the [[Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography|Golden Age of Dutch/Netherlandish cartography]] ({{circa}} 1570s–1670s), along with [[Abraham Ortelius]]'s ''[[Theatrum Orbis Terrarum]]'' and [[Johannes Blaeu]]'s ''[[Atlas Maior]]''. It is often described as the most beautiful celestial atlas ever published.

== History ==
In the foreword to his ''Chronologica'', [[Gerard Mercator]] stated the intention to publish an atlas which would cover everything of the then-known cosmos, geography and history of the earth. During his life, Mercator published five volumes of his atlas, the last one being published by his son [[Rumold Mercator|Rumold]]. After Mercator's death, the Amsterdam cartographer [[Johannes Janssonius]] took over the project.
He and fellow-cartographer [[Hendricus Hondius]] published their ''Novus Atlas'' in 1636, which featured over 320 maps in four languages. In 1660, Andreas Cellarius' ''Harmonia Macrocosmica'' was published as the seventh volume of the project. With the final addition of a volume describing the cities of the world from 1657, the project was finally completed.

== Origins of the engravings ==
Of the various engravers and authors who worked on the plates of the atlas, only two have signed their work. The frontispiece of the atlas was created by Frederik Hendrik van den Hove and ten other plates were engraved by Johannes van Loon. Moreover, all the designs of the classical constellations were taken from the ones created by [[Jan Pieterszoon Saenredam]].

== References ==
*Van Gent, Robert H. (2006), ''Andreas Cellarius, Harmonia Macrocosmica of 1660'', TASCHEN, {{ISBN|978-3-8228-5290-3}}
*[https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/cellarius/cellarius.htm Bio-bibliography of Andreas Cellarius]

== External links ==
{{commonscat-inline|Cellarius Harmonia Macrocosmica|''Cellarius Harmonia Macrocosmica''}}

* [http://www.rarebookroom.org/Control/gelmcs/index.html rarebookroom.org]
* [https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=73619&q=harmonia&facet_setname_s=uum_rbc ''Harmonia Macrocosmica'']
*[https://www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/78475 Digitized example of the 1661 ''Harmonia Macrocosmica'' at RareMaps.com]

[[Category:17th-century Dutch books]]
[[Category:Astronomy books]]
[[Category:Classical star atlases]]
[[Category:Dutch celestial cartography in the Age of Discovery]]
[[Category:Astronomy in the Dutch Republic]]

Harmonia Macrocosmica - Revision history

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