Typus Orbis Terrarum.

Stunning c.16th (1579 / State 4) world map by Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) issued in Ortelius’s  Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first true modern atlas which is of fundamental importance in the history of cartography.

As the first world map occurring in the first regular atlas, this map is of fundamental importance in the history of cartography. van den Broeck

1579L(B)1 last line, left column: PETRVS IOANNES OLIVARIVS in Melam; right column: FRANCISCVS BELLEFORESTIVS, Gallicè) (Note: there are three maps with very similar text on the verso, the only difference between them is this one has an acute  ‘è’ in Gallicè whereas the other two have Gallice (without the acute).

State 4 as described below.

These are the four states of this world map:

1.1 1.2 In 1574L the hachuring around the Cicero quote which obliquely goes from upper left to lower right is augmented under the “clasps” which are found at the left and right of the cartouche, not quite at its ends, by a different hachuring going from lower left to upper right.
1.3 In 1575L, bolt impressions appear in the lower left corner, to repair a crack. According to Shirley, this is already the case in 1570L.
1.4 In 1579, the crack is somewhat mended and less visible. Some reworking of the clouds.
1.5 In 1584 the date “1584” is added to the right of “Hogenbergus sculpsit”. 1.6 After 1584, this date is amended to “1585”.

Ortelius important world map is based on Mercator’s large wall map which was published 1569. He has removed the legends, textual panels and decorative features and added formations of clouds around the map and a quotation by Cicero, the Roman writer. From surviving correspondence it is known that Mercator generously encouraged Ortelius to make use of his published corpus of research: he also provided him with co-ordinates of places in America. South America retains the unusual bulge to the south-west coast drawn by Mercator. A large predominant ‘Terra Australis Nondum Cognita’  occupies much of the southern hemisphere while is shown as an island. There is a note adjacent to New Guinea querying whether this large island is part of the southern continent or not. On the northern promontory of the Southland just below Java are three place names derived from the scribed accounts of Marco Polo; ‘Beach’, ‘Lucach’ and ‘Maleur’.

Translation of text;
Centre bottom panel: QVID EI POTEST VIDERI MAGNVM IN REBVS HVMANIS, CVI AETERNITAS OMNIS, TOTIVSQVE MVNDI NOTA SIT MAGNITVDO. CICERO: [Who can consider human affairs to be great, when he comprehends the eternity and vastness of the entire world. Cicero.
Lower left note: “Hanc continentem Australem, nonnulli Magellanicam regionem ab eius inuentore nuncupant”. [This Southern continent is by some called the Magellan region after its discoverer].
Lower left: “Noua Guinea nuper inuenta quæ an sit insulaan pars continentis|Australis incertû est” [New Guinea, recently discovered. Whether this is an island or part of the Southern continent is uncertain.]
Lower right: “Vastißimas hic eße regiones ex M Pauli Ven:et Lud.Vartomann. scriptis pe:|regrationibus constat”. [These regions are very extended, as can be seen in the writings of Paulus Venetus and the travels of Ludovicus Vartomannus.]
Lower right: “Psitacorum regio sic a Lusitanis appellata ob incredibilem earum auium ibidem magnitudem”. [This region is by the Portuguese called “of the Psitaci” because of the incredible number of birds of the same size].