This marvelous engraving is an early view of the moon graphically depicting its craters based on the observations of Kircher and Christoph Scheiner in 1636 and 1650. Putti in a cloud background hold aloft the banner-style title cartouche. Kircher's masterpiece, titled Mundus subterraneus (The Underground World), was the first serious effort to describe the physical makeup of the earth, proposing theories (sometimes fantastic) in the areas of physics, geography, geology, and chemistry.

References: De Vorsey, Mapping the World Below, Mercator's World Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 28-31.

Condition: B

A few minor separations along folds have been closed on verso with Japanese tissue. A binding tear into the left of the map about 3.5" has been repaired and the binding trim has been replaced.