The head of the Gulf of California is also depicted in a new form, with the R. It, however, erroneously extends the longitudinal distance of the west coast of North America. This had probably come to light through the increased exploration of the Spanish to the west of Mexico City and along that coastline. This does, however, enable it to introduce some detail of the East Indies.Ī notable difference between this and the Hogenberg is the introduction of a considerably narrower and more correct North America at the lattitude of the Tropic of Cancer. North America is largely obscured by the decorative title cartouche. Depicting the Pacific alone it does not include much inland detail from the west coast of the Americas. An extensive study by Richard Casten and Thomas Su├írez has recently been published on the sequence of three maps ascribed or dated to this year by Hogenberg, Mazza and Ortelius. Ortelius worked closely with Frans Hogenberg and the Pacific cartography is derived largely from the latter's map published earlier in the year. It was engraved at a time of increasing activity in the Pacific with the English having recently begun raiding the Spanish galleons carrying the gold of Peru up the coast to the Isthmus, as well as those making the arduous journey across from the Philippines to Mexico. One of the most important maps that appeared in the Ortelius atlases, this was the first printed map to be devoted to the Pacific Ocean, the discovery of which is remembered by the depiction, with legend, of Ferdinand Magellan's ship the 'Victoria'. The Mapping of North America - MARIS PACIFICI, Antwerp 1589 įrom: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Apart from the paper toning an otherwise pristine example of an unobtainable seminal map for the early mapping of the Americas, of the Pacific and of Australia. This first printed map of the Pacific is of fundamental cartographical importance. It is also visually engaging and full of interesting geographic details revealing much about late-sixteenth century cartographic innovation. This map is a titan in the history of cartography for its status as the first stand-alone map of the world’s largest ocean. One of the most important maps that appeared in the Ortelius atlases, this was the first printed map to be devoted to the Pacific Ocean. The first published map devoted to the Pacific and the most important 16th century map to show the Spanish domination of the South Seas. Ortelius' map of the Pacific illustrates the front cover of the ultimate carto-bibliography of maps of the Pacific ( Thomas Suárez, Early Mapping of the Pacific). Only one other example of this unobtainable second and final state is recorded, namely in the City Library of Antwerp (Belgium), the same city where the maps were printed at the time. In this 1641 second state of the copperplate, the date "1589" has been removed from the lower left cartouche. No example recorded in America, Australia or Asia. This final state is of exceptional rarity. Only the second copy known of the amended state of what is considered the best map of the Ortelius atlas.
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