Façade met personificaties van vijf bevolkingsgroepen 1646

This anonymous print is the title page to the fourth volume of Johannes Janssonius’ “Novus Atlas”, produced in Amsterdam during the mid-17th century. The book’s title promises a comprehensive view of Great Britain and Ireland. The image presents an allegorical façade, populated by personifications of different British nations. “Britannvs,” a figure emblematic of Great Britain, stands centrally, flanked by others who likely represent England, Scotland, and Ireland. Above them, heraldic symbols associated with the British monarchy reinforce the atlas's focus on royal power and dominion. This image tells us about the ambition of Dutch cartographers to document and classify the world, but also how they visually represented the political landscape of their time. By studying such images alongside historical documents and maps, we can gain insight into the cultural and political dynamics of 17th-century Europe.