The most famous of all cartographic curiosities is the Leo Belgicus, in which the Low Countries were depicted in the form of a lion. This curious form of cartography is one of the highpoints in the Golden Age of mapmaking. Based on the original 1583 Aitsinger form with the lion standing facing right with a paw raised and holding a shield. This is the largest of the Famianus Strada versions, used as a frontispiece for part two of his pro-Spanish and pro-Catholic book on the Dutch war of independence. It is beautifully engraved with a stippled sea filled with ships and a sea monster. While the miniature Leo Belgicus maps are occasionally found on the market, the larger ones are quite rare.

References: Tooley (MCC-7) #15.

Condition: A

A nice impression with one small worm hole at center.