Cover of the Atlas Designed to Illustrate Burritt’s Geography of the Heavens, by Elijah Hinsdale Burritt

Cover of the Atlas Designed to Illustrate Burritt’s Geography of the Heavens, by Elijah Hinsdale Burritt

C.1856

Hand Colored Engraving

This piece is the decorative printed front cover of the Atlas Designed to Illustrate Burritt’s Geography of the Heavens, a 1856 revised edition published in New York by Mason Brothers. Originally conceived by American mathematician and astronomer Elijah Hinsdale Burritt, this specific mid-19th-century volume was comprehensively "revised and corrected" by the author and illustrator Hiram Mattison, A.M. The cover features a multi-colored ornamental border adorned with classical architectural scrollwork, stars, and celestial vignettes flanking a detailed architectural archway. Enclosed within this central lower archway is a dramatic narrative illustration titled "Galileo Demonstrating His System," depicting the famous astronomer pointing to a globe while surrounded by historical observers, anchored by his legendary defiant quote at the bottom: "And yet it moves."

First published in 1833, Burritt’s Geography of the Heavens and its accompanying celestial atlas revolutionized American astronomy education by shifting the pedagogical focus away from dry, abstract formulas and toward direct nighttime sky observation. Elijah Hinsdale Burritt (1794–1838) designed the text specifically to make stargazing accessible to students and amateurs alike, while Hiram Mattison (1811–1868), a prominent minister and educator, later enhanced subsequent editions with revised plates, updated solar statistics, and more visually engaging graphics to expand its public appeal. This atlas is historically significant as a cornerstone of popular science printing, selling over 300,000 copies to become the most successful and widely used American star atlas of the 19th century.

Dimensions: H 16” X 14” W

Condition: Slightly toned with age, small tears on the sides