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Description
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This is a beautiful, original map of the African continent, from the 1575 edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by Abraham Ortelius. This is the fifth state of the copperplate, still the date 1570 is present in the cartouche, which was removed between 1606 and 1612 (van den Broecke). At the time of its publication it was the most expensive book ever produced. Between 1570 and 1612, it was issued in 31 editions and 7 languages. This map of Africa is based upon Gastaldi's 8 sheet wall map and Mercator's world map of 1569. The map was the first widely disseminated modernized map of Africa in the latter part of the 16th Century and became the standard map of the continent until well into the 17th Century., Relief shown pictorially., Title in decorative strapwork cartouche flanked by two caryatids., Map of Africa including part of Asia. Three sea monsters appear in the ocean and three ships are engaged in battle in the Indian Ocean., Map is based on the Gastaldi 8-sheet wall map of 1564 and Mercator's wall map of 1569 with some modifications engraved by Frans Hogenberg., Scale derived from latitude lines. Coordinates converted to Greenwich meridian., Latin text on verso with title: "Africa." Last line of text: "Ximo, habes litteras Ioannis Baptistae Rhamusi, & Hieronymi Fracastorij" points to the map published in a 1592 Latin edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum--(Van den Boecke, Koemans 31:041), From: Ortelius' Theatrum Orbis Terrarum., Main Heritage Compact General, HC.MAP.00274, Print Map, Item-ID: i11400687, BIB-ID: 1845455, Abraham Ortelius was born 1527 in Antwerp. He studied mathematics, Greek and Latin and travelled a lot across Europe. He established a business in dealing with books and drawing maps. His first remarkable map was a 8 sheet world map in the year 1564, but only three copies have survived. In 1570 he issued the "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum", the first modern "Atlas" with uniformly sized maps in a systematic collection. The term "Atlas" was not used until Mercator introduced it 20 years later. Most of the maps in Theatrum were engraved by Frans Hogenberg. Atlas Despite its expense, it was a big success and around 7000 copies were printed until 1612, in many editions and six different languages. Beside the Theatrum, Ortelius compiled a series of historical maps and published it in the "Parergon Theatri," which was bound with the Theatrum from 1579 onwards, or published separately. |
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Relation
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Koeman-Krogt. Koeman's Atlantes Neerlandici,, Van den Broecke, M.,, Norwich, O.I. Maps of Africa,, Betz, R.L. Mapping of Africa,, Theatrum orbis terrarum |
