Subject: Canada and Greenland
Period: 1680 (published)
Publication: Orbis Maritimus ofte Zee Atlas
Color: Hand Color
Size:
22 x 19 inches
55.9 x 48.3 cm
This is the first state of De Wit's fine chart of Hudson Bay and Arctic Canada. This beautifully engraved chart was based on Van Loon's important chart of 1666 and includes Hudson Bay and Strait, Baffin Bay and extends to include the western coast of Greenland. The chart shows an erroneous second bay next to James Bay named The Great Bay, (an exaggeration of Rupert Bay), and Mansel Island is named as Mansfield Island. A sea battle rages outside of the Hudson Strait and another ship sails in Baffin Bay. The chart is richly embellished with rhumb lines and two elaborate cartouches - the second with a Dutch title.
References: Kershaw #209; Moreland & Bannister, p. 36.
Condition: A
Lovely original color and a sharp impression on a strong sheet. There is some faint damp stain the margin, not affecting the map. There is a small area of transferred color on one of the figures in the bottom cartouche.