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C1571
Sacrae Geographiae Tabulam ex Antiquissimorum Cultor. Familiis a Mose Recensitis.
Mapmaker:
Benedictus Arias Montanus (1527 - 1598)
First edition and first state of this famous and rare double-hemisphere Strong dark impression of the first edition and first state of this famous and rare double-hemisphere world map by Benedictus Arias Montanus. This is the earliest map to show … Read Full Description
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Full Title:
Sacrae Geographiae Tabulam ex Antiquissimorum Cultor. Familiis a Mose Recensitis.
Date:
C1571
Mapmaker:
Benedictus Arias Montanus (1527 - 1598)
Condition:
In good condition, with centre fold as issued.
Technique:
Copper engraving.
Image Size:
530mm
x 315mm
Paper Size:
555mm
x 360mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1571
Description:
First edition and first state of this famous and rare double-hemisphere
Strong dark impression of the first edition and first state of this famous and rare double-hemisphere world map by Benedictus Arias Montanus. This is the earliest map to show the northern Australian coast in a shape and location approximating its actual position. It is radically different from earlier maps that depicted Terra Australis Incognita as one large landmass covering the entire southern polar region from east to west.
Published in 1571, this map gives credence to the idea that Portuguese explorers had prior knowledge of Australia before the Dutch landings on the western side of Cape York Peninsula in 1606 (Jansz Duyfken). There are a number of editions and states of this map, this being the first edition and first state, identified by the engraved seas and the inclusion of the name Lektan, one of the descendants of Noah, in the fifth line of the table in the lower-left panel. Later editions have the name changed to Ioktan. This first state is particularly rare, since the majority of the edition was lost at sea en route to Spain. A beautifully engraved map, featuring four cherubim wind-heads along the edges of each hemisphere and the elaborately engraved seas have numerous images of galleons and sea monsters.
The map depicts the biblical story of the re-populating of the earth after the Great Flood and includes text in Latin and Hebrew, with the Table of Nations which lists the descendants of Noah, starting with his three sons, Japheth, Ham and Shem and the countries that they founded.
From Christopher Plantin’s, eight volume, polyglot bible; Biblia Sacra, Hebraice, Chaldaice, Graece & Latine, published in Antwerp 1571.
References:
Clancy p.62, ill.p.66, 5.7, Moreland p.227, ill., p.228, Poortman 14 ill.30, Schilder 20, ill.p.283, Shirley 125, pl.107
Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 2356327
State Library New South Wales: Reference code (AuSN)b20686110-61slnsw_inst
Mapmaker:
Benito Arias Montanus (1527–1598)
Montanus was a Spanish orientalist and editor of the Antwerp Polyglot. He was born at Fregenal de la Sierra, in Extremadura and died at Seville. He is the subject of an Elogio histórico by Tomás Gonzalez Caral in the Memorias de la Real Academia de la Historia (Madrid), vol. vii. Contents 1 Biography 2 See also 3 References 4 External links Biography
After studying at the universities of Seville and Alcalá, he took orders about the year 1559. He became a clerical member of the Military Order of St. James, and accompanied the Bishop of Segovia to the Council of Trent (1562) where he won great distinction. On his return he retired to a hermitage at Aracena whence he was summoned by Philip II (1568) to supervise a new polyglot edition of the Bible, with the collaboration of many learned men. The work was issued from the Plantin press (1572, 8 volumes) under the title Biblia sacra hebraice chaldaice, graece et latine, Philippi II regis catholici pietate et studio ad sacrosanctae Ecclesiae usum, several volumes being devoted to a scholarly apparatus biblicus. Arias was responsible for a large part of the actual matter, besides the general superintendence, and in obedience to the command of the king took the work to Rome for the approbation of Pope Gregory XIII. León de Castro, professor of Oriental languages at Salamanca, to whose translation of the Vulgate Arias had opposed the original Hebrew text, denounced Arias to the Roman, and later to the Spanish Inquisition for having altered the Biblical text, making too liberal use of the rabbinical writings, in disregard of the decree of the Council of Trent concerning the authenticity of the Vulgate, and confirming the Jews in their beliefs by his Chaldaic paraphrases. After several journeys to Rome Arias was freed of the charges (1580) and returned to his hermitage, refusing the episcopal honours offered him by the king. He accepted, however, the post of a royal chaplain, but was only induced to leave his retirement for the purpose of superintending the Escorial library and of teaching Oriental languages. He led the life of an ascetic, dividing his time between prayer and study. In addition to the works written in connection with the polyglot, the most celebrated of which is Antiquitatum judaicarum libri IX (Leyden, 1593), Arias left many commentaries on various books of the Bible; also: Humanae salutis monumenta (Antwerp, 1571); a Latin translation of the Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela, and other works on widely varying subjects. He was also celebrated as a poet, his verses being chiefly of a religious nature.
