Ca. 1725 allegorical map of Cockaigne by Johann Baptist Homann

Johann Baptist Homann (1664-1724) was a German cartographer and publisher who is considered one of the most important mapmakers of the 18th century. He founded his own publishing house in 1702 and began producing maps and atlases that were highly accurate and beautifully illustrated. Homann's maps were used by explorers, merchants and military commanders, and in 1715 he became the official cartographer of the Holy Roman Emperor. His work helped shape the way Europeans saw the world, and his maps are still highly prized by collectors today.