Religionis Catholicae per totam Asiam disseminatae exhibitio

Schrerer a German Jesuit and Professor of Hebrew, mathematics and ethics, issued one of the first series of thematic atlases. This map is intended specifically to locate the various missions of the Society of Jesus around the world. The legend indicates &#8220Locus &amp Dominium Catholica&#8221, and distinguishes between &#8220Mifsio Catholica Stabilis&#8221 and &#8220Mifsio Catholica Temporanea&#8221. It also indicates regions where the Catholic faith has been promulgated but repulsed (&#8220Religio Catholica difseminata, &amp rurfus extirpata&#8217). The Jesuits had a long history of missions in south east Asia. The title cartouche is adorned with floral decorations and swag while the lower cartouche shows members of various Asian races piously kneeling at the foot of the crucifixion. A large area immediately off to the left of the lower cartouche, does not geographically correspond to any know land mass but from the size, it must be inferred to be part of the Australian coastline. On the far left is a lone galleon sailing towards the Asian continent while at the top another is seemingly sailing into the far northern reaches of Asia. From Atlas Novus. References BAN AM pg 84 SWE MOA 93 ill pg 63