1662 Orbis Terrarum Tabula Recens Emendata et in Lucem Edita
By: Nicolas Visscher
Date: 1662 (published) Amsterdam
Dimensions: 18.5 x 12 inches (47 x 30.5 cm)
This is a fine example of Nicolas Visscher's 1st state double hemisphere world map which was produced for a series of Dutch bibles by the Elzevir family.
The map features some of the great cartographic misconceptions, errors, and myths of the 17th century. In the North Atlantic one can find the mythical island of Frislandt just southwest of Iceland. The eastern coast of North America is in much need of refinement as is the great bulging western coast of that extends to the Strait of Anian. The Great Lakes have yet to be discovered by Europeans and find their way onto maps.
In South America we again see an overextended bulge in the eastern coast (while considering the effect of the projection) and there appear two mythical lakes within. One of these is Lake Parime which was said to have been home to the fabled "Golden City" of Manoa or El Dorado.
New Zeeland has just a partial coastline while New Guinea, Australia and Van Diemens Landt are incomplete. Corea is just barely depicted as an island leaving room for interpretation and one to argue that it is a peninsula. Africa features two large lakes feeding the Nile that appear in earlier maps as the source in the "Mountains of the Moon."
Visscher's map includes two celestial diagrams presenting both Ptolemaic and Copernican theories of the layout of our solar system. This is interesting because the map was published in a bible, so to illustrate the Copernican Theory of Earth not being the center of the universe went against traditional acceptance of the Church. Surrounding the map are allegorical scenes representing the major continents of the world, its people and wild animals. This particular style would influence numerous map makers for decades to come.
Dutch Text on Verso
Condition: This map is in A condition with bold coloring on bright paper and full margins on all sides. The map was issued folding but is now flattened with any fold separations which are professionally repaired on the verso.
Inventory #11205
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