Orbis Terrrae Compendiosa Description.

Famous, double hemisphere world map, by one of the most important of all Dutch mapmakers active during the Golden Age of mapmaking. Superbly decorated with a fret work design surrounding the two hemispheres, an armorial sphere at top and an elaborate compass rose at bottom.

The map first appeared in Issac Casubon’s edition of Strabo’s Geographia, published in Geneva in 1587, with columns of text beneath the map, headed Lectori S.P. Then from 1595 the map was incorporated into editions of Mercator’s Atlas. By 1603 cracks had developed in the top edge of the plate and by the 1620’s these had extended in two places, almost completely across the top panel containing the title.

This map, with French text on
the verso and the cracks at top, signifies a publication date of
1619.

Based on Gerard Mercator’s great world map of 1569, it was reduced into this double hemispherical form by his son Rumold. In the preparation for his world map Gerard Mercator had carefully studied and assimilated much contemporary material, as well as the works of the classicists such as Ptolemy, Pliny, Solinus and Mela. He had also read the accounts of medieval travellers such as Marco Polo and corresponded with John Dee in regards to the possibility of a north west passage.

Mercator leaves a wide channel between America and Asia believing in the possibility of the much sought after north-west passage, while South America is shown with a bulging south-west coast. The large promontory corresponding to the north-west coast of present day Western Australia has the names Beach, Regio Lucach and Maletur, taken from the scribed accounts of Marco Polo travels.

It was to be the most accurate and informative map of its time and its influence was such that for nearly a hundred years, all world maps copied Mercator’s vast but imaginary southern continent named Magallanica Terra Australis.

Reference:

Allen p.65-67, ill.p.65, Clancy p.70, ill.Map. 5.11, Schilder Map 11, p.264, ill.p.265, Shirley 157, Pl 129.