Isaak Tirion

Isaak Tirion – publisher and bookseller

Born: 1705 in Utrecht, The Netherlands

Died: 1765 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Most important works:

As of 1739 Tirion published 23 parts of the Hedendaagsche Historie of Tegenwoordige staat der Vereenigde Nederlanden (Modern History or Current state of the United Netherlands). These books were part of a much larger work that Tirion published, the Hedendaagsche Historie of staat van alle Volkeren (Modern History or Current state of all Nations).

Most contributions to the books are from Jan Wagenaar, a Dutch historian, poet, woodtrader and mathematician. 

Tirion also published Wagenaar’s Vaderlandsche Historie, which became one of the most popular history books in The Netherlands. It is on the list of 1000 most important texts in the Canon of Dutch Literature.

Of course Tirion is also famous for publishing numerous atlases and maps, many of which were based on works of mapmakers from the 17^th century as well of some of the early 18^th century, mainly Guillaume Delisle, (1675 - 1726), a French cartographer, known for his popular and accurate maps of Europe and the newly explored Americas and Africa.

A good example of a solid work of Tirion is the Nieuwe en Beknopte Hand-atlas (1744-1769), with many maps of the New World, like this:

“Kaart van het Westelyk Gedeelte van Nieuw Mexico en van California Volgens de Laatste Ontdekkingen der Jesuiten en Anderen” (map of the Western Part of New Mexico en California according to the Discoveries of the Jesuuites and Others)

(for details, see http://www.oldmapsonline.org/map/harvard/12767680)

A particularly beautiful atlas is the one of Zeeland, with very accurate descriptions of the various islands of that Province.

Why do collectors buy the maps of Tirion?

The simple answer is: They are beautiful. There are still many maps around, often in a very good condition, and they are all precise, full of detail, very accurate and highly decorative.

But there is also another reason. Tirion was one of the last in the great era of Dutch mapmakers. That era started with the works of Gerardus Mercator, Jacob van Deventer and Gemma Frisius in the 2^nd half of the 16^th century, continuing with the “Great Ones”  Ortelius and Blaeu - and many others -  in the 17^th century,  until the beginning of the 18^th century, when the Dutch Golden Age was over and foreign mapmakers and publishers, notably the French, took over the Dutch lead.

Tirion is interesting, because his maps contain elements of the “old” as well as the “new” style of mapmaking.