Copper engraving, charming period colouring, mm 430x550. Hessel Gerritsz's map of Russia, designed at the specific request of the Tsar's son, first printed in 1613, was published by Blaeu after he acquired the plate on Gerritsz's death in 1632. It features a large insert at the top left with a plan of the city of Moscow (attributable to Crown Prince Feodor Gudonov) with a 17-point legend; on the right within the frame is a perspective view, taken from the sea, of Archangelsckagoroda, with milestones and three men in typical Russian dress; this is the only northern port in Russia until the founding of St. Petersburg in 1700. Crowned cartouche with arms and symbols of power, lower left, enclosing the title and dedication to Hessel Gerritsz. A wind rose stands out in the Caspian Sea. The map was compiled from manuscript maps and work reported by Isaac Massa. On the verso of the sheet, Latin text related to the map. W. Blaeu, an astronomer and pupil of Tycho Brahe, founded a workshop for the construction of globes in 1599; almost immediately, he also started publishing maps, resulting in the creation of the first atlas 'Atlantis Appendix' in 1630 and, five years later, the first edition in two volumes of the 'Atlas Novus'. After his death in 1662, the famous 11-volume 'Atlas Maior' was published by his son Johan. In 1672, a fire destroyed the workshop and marked the end of the business.