Subject: World
Period: 1663 (circa)
Publication:
Color: Hand Color
Size:
18.5 x 12 inches
47 x 30.5 cm
This superb double hemisphere world map is surrounded by engravings including allegorical representations of the continents as well as native inhabitants and wildlife. Visscher's decorations were so popular several other cartographers copied them. Two diagrams depicting the Ptolemaic and Copernican theories of the solar system appear within the cusps of the hemispheres. The northwest coast of North America is greatly exaggerated with the fictional El Streto d'Anian, while California is shown as a peninsula. In the Pacific, Western Australia, Van Diemens Landt, and a bit of New Zealand are also noted. This is the first state prior to the addition of the Privilege below the title. Dutch text on verso.
References: Poortman & Augusteijn #118; Shirley #431.
Condition: B+
A crisp impression, issued folding and now flattened with professional repairs to a number of fold separations and small edge tears. The right margin has been extended to better accommodate framing. There is light soiling at left and right and small repaired chips in the sheet corners.