Cenomanorum Galliae regionis typus Vulgo Le Mans.

Beautifully colored map of the region surrounding Le Mans, in northwest France, published by the Blaeu firm. Accompanying Dutch text on verso.
Born in Alkmaar, Holland, William Janszoon Blaeu settled in Amsterdam, where he became a well-respected globe maker and publisher. He founded the Blaeu firm in 1596, and he earned an appointment as mapmaker to the Dutch East India Company in 1634; thereafter, he had access to information unavailable to his contemporaries. Also to his advantage, Blaeu studied under Tycho Brahe-mathematician, scientist and the most noted astronomer of the time. Blaeu was said to be Brahe's most famous pupil.
The Blaeu firm, which was carried on by his two sons after his death, was the most productive cartographic establishment in the Netherlands until it was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1672. The historical importance of Blaeu maps make them an essential part of a fine antique map collection. Blaeu maps are recognized immediately by the beauty of their ornamentation. Whereas 16th-century publishers decorated their maps with strap-work designs in black and white, the Blaeu maps were embellished with decorative swags, symbols, coat of arms, city views, and large pictorial cartouches, and they were often hand-colored to meet Baroque tastes.