This double-hemisphere world map appeared in the 1639 Madrid edition of the famous epic poem, Os Lusiadas, originally published in Portuguese by Luis Vaz de Camoens in 1572. The poem is a fantastical interpretation of the Portuguese voyages of exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries, which are depicted on this woodcut map. There are notations of the discoveries of various explorers, including Magellan and Ludovico di Varthema (Lud. Vartomano). The geography on this map is fairly crude, with exaggerated features, including a huge Tierra del Fuego, the river systems in North and South America, and the Niger River in Africa. A massive Southern Continent dominates the map, incorporating New Guinea (Nueva Guinea) and with the coastal names of Beach and Lucach noted from Marco Polo's travel memoirs. Seventeenth century Spanish maps are excessively rare. Spanish text below map and on verso.

References: Shirley #347.

Condition: A

A nice impression on a bright sheet with minor show-through of text on verso, a couple of marginal spots, and professionally repaired binding holes along the centerfold.