WORLDMAP 1608 MERCATOR/HONDIUS ANTIQUE COPPER ENGRAVED CHART 1st FRENCH EDITION

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Double your traffic. Designatio Orbis Christiani. Description: Fine decorative and detailed plate representing one of the first thematic maps. It is drawn on a planispherical projection and uses symbols (identified in the key at bottom) to designate those areas of the world that are Christian (cross), Muslim (crescent), and pagan (arrow). It shows most of the world, excluding the west coast of North America. In Asia, Korea is shown as an island. The Nile rises from twin lakes in southern Africa. There is a huge southern continent that incorporates the landmass of Australia. Map f rom the first French-text edition of Jodocus Hondius ''Atlas Minor" . Date: 1608 ( undated ) Source: Jodocus Hondius & Gerard Mercator Atlas Minor de Guerard Mercator. Amsterodami 1608 Dimension: Paper size approx.: cm 20,8 x 17,2 Conditions: Very strong and dark impression on good paper. Paper with chains. Uncolored as issued. Wide margin to the top. Wide lower margin. Wide right lateral margin. Left lateral margin missed. Paper browned . Small waterstains. Tears along the margins. Con ditions are as you can see in the images. Mapmaker: Jodocus Hondius (October, 14 1563 - February 12, 1612) was an important Dutch cartographer active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His common name, Jodocus Hondius is actually a Latinized version of his Dutch name, Joost de Hondt. He is also sometimes referred to as Jodocus Hondius the Elder to distinguish him from his sons. Hondius was a Flemish artist, engraver, and cartographer. He is best known for his early maps of the New World and Europe, for re-establishing the reputation of the work of Gerard Mercator, and for his portraits of Francis Drake. Hondius was born and raised in Ghent. In his early years he established himself as an engraver, instrument maker and globe maker. In 1584 he moved to London to escape religious difficulties in Flanders. During his stay in England, Hondius was instrumental in publicizing the work of Francis Drake, who had made a circumnavigation of the world in the late 1570s. In particular, in 1589 Hondius produced a now famous map of the cove of New Albion, where Drake briefly established a settlement on the west coast of North America. Hondius' map was based on journal and eyewitness accounts of the trip and has long fueled speculation about the precise location of Drake's landing, which has not yet been firmly established by historians. Hondius is also thought to be the artist of several well-known portraits of Drake that are now in the National Portrait Gallery in London. In 1593 Hondius returned to Amsterdam, where he remained until the end of his life. In 1604 he purchased the plates of Gerard Mercator's Atlas from Mercator's grandson. Mercator's work had languished in comparison to the rival atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by Ortelius. Hondius republished Mercator's work with 36 additional maps, including several which he himself produced. Despite the addition of his own contributions, Hondius recognizing the prestige of Mercator's name, gave Mercator full credit as the author of the work, listing himself as the publisher. Hondius' new edition of Mercator's revived the great cartographer's reputation was a great success, selling out after a year. Hondius later published a second edition, as well as a pocket version called the Atlas Minor. The maps have since become known as the "Mercator/Hondius series". Between 1605 and 1610 Hondius was employed by John Speed to engrave the plates for Speed's The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine. Following Hondius' death in 1612, his publishing work in Amsterdam was continued by his widow and two sons, Jodocus II and Henricus. Later his family formed a partnership with Jan Jansson, whose name appears on the Atlas as co-publisher after 1633. Eventually, starting with the first 1606 edition in Latin, about 50 editions of the Atlas were released in the main European languages. In the Islamic world, the atlas was partially translated by the Turkish scholar Katip Çelebi. T... read more

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