Hessel Gerritsz was intimately involved with Dutch expansion into the Americas at the beginning of the seventeenth century. He was the official cartographer of the Dutch East India Company and thus was privy to the latest cartographic information coming into Holland. He traveled to the New World to gather much of the information used to produce maps in collaboration with Johannes de Laet, one of the directors of the Dutch West India Company, who was also involved with Dutch colonial efforts. The map covers from Florida, here called Cabo de la Florida, and the Bahamas through to Trinidad and is embellished with a garland draped title cartouche and a compass rose. Gerritsz' map of the Caribbean served as a model for other cartographers throughout the rest of the century.

References: Shirley (BL Atlases) G.LAET-1b #2.

Condition: B+

A dark impression on a bright sheet with the watermark of a coat of arms with the initial "M." There are a few tiny worm holes along the centerfold, some printer's ink residue, and a few faint spots of soiling. Professionally remargined at right and bottom including partial facsimile of neatlines.