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Mapmaker:
Rumold Mercator (1545 - 1599)
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 … Read Full Description
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Mapmaker:
Rumold Mercator (1545 - 1599)
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Genuine antique
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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.
Mapmaker:
Gerard Mercator (1512-1594)
Famous Belgian cartographer,
philosopher and mathematician, best known for his new world map on a
rectangular projection which allowed a course to be plotted in a
straight line and now known as Mercator’s Projection.
Intially
studied philosophy at the University of Leuven but as he became
convinced of the importance of exact sciences, for the study of the true
configuration of the world, he took courses in mathematics. He was soon
recognised as an expert on the construction of mathematical
instruments, as a land surveyor and after 1537 as a cartographer. He
also qualified as an engraver and was the first to introduce the italic
in handwriting to the trade.
As he
became increasingly better known as a cartographer he embarked on a
project for a complete description of the Creation, the Heavens, Earth,
the Sea and a world history. Out of this resulted his Atlas, sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de Fabrica Mundi et Fabricati Figura.
He drew the maps, engraved the plates and wrote the text for each map
an enormous undertaking and unlike other mapmakers of the period,
Mercator vigorously researched current knowledge and drew new maps. This
process was much more time consuming than the mere copying of existing
maps.
His work
load caused eye strain and ill health, and soon after the publication
of the second part of his map-book (as yet named an atlas) he had a
stroke in 1589. This ended his great productivity and he died in 1594
leaving the task of completion of his Pars Altera to his son Rumold.
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