This map of Monmouthshire is by Joan Blaeu (1598-1673), arguably the most famous of the Dutch cartographers. During the seventeenth century the Dutch held a dominant position in the production of high quality atlases. Joan Blaeu’s father Willem, established his firm in 1599 as instrument and globe makers. He went on to produce some of the highest quality atlases ever published. This example is with French text on the verso and from the ‘Theatre du Monde’ first issued in 1645. Booth (1977) pp. 44-8; Koeman Bl 42A p. 174; Skelton (1970) 28.