Tom White created this historical bust of Abraham Ortelius at the request of Ed Grusnis, curator, of The Antiquarium in Houston, Texas.  Ortelius was the famous creator of the first modern atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terarum (Theatre of the World) in 1570, and was a Brabantian cartographer, geographer, and cosmographer.

Tom used two variants of patina on this scuplture:  one incorporates the white cuff popular in the 1500s and similar coloring to some of the styles;  the other is the traditional French brown patina.  Tom loves working to recreate accurate historical costuming and effects in sculptures like this one, and recasts of “Abraham Ortelius” are available in bronze.

About Ortelius:  He was one of the most notable figures of the Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography (1570s-1670s). The publication of his atlas in 1570 is often considered as the official beginning of the Golden Age and he is also believed to be the first person to imagine that the continents were joined before drifting to their present positions.

Ortelius was born in April 1527 (either the 4th or 14th) in the city of Antwerp, then in the Hapsburg Netherlands (modern-day Belgium).  The Ortelius family were originally from Augsburg, a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, but had left following the death of his father.  He traveled extensively in Europe and entered the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1547 as an illuminator of maps.  He supplemented his income trading in books, prints and maps, and his journeys led him to meet Gerardus Mercator, who’s influence in map making and scientific geography expanded his career.

…Tom & Marcey White