Planisphaerium Coeleste by Frederik de Wit

Planisphaerium Coeleste by Frederik de Wit is a 17th-century celestial map depicting the northern and southern skies as paired hemispheres filled with constellations, zodiac signs, and astronomical diagrams. Produced as an engraved, hand-colored star chart, it blends scientific observation with Baroque decoration, surrounding the heavens with clouds, instruments, and planetary models. The work reflects the golden age of Dutch cartography, when maps served as both scholarly tools and luxury objects.

Frederik de Wit was a Dutch engraver, publisher, and mapmaker active in Amsterdam during the late 1600s and early 1700s. He became known for richly ornamented atlases, city views, sea charts, and celestial maps that circulated widely across Europe. His work is admired for its clarity, decorative elegance, and role in sustaining Amsterdam’s reputation as a major center of map publishing.