Typus Orbis Terrarum

Matthaus Merian, was a publisher and engraver renowned for his town views who produced this double hemisphere world map from &quotPiazza Universale&quot, and richly decorated with symbols representing the sun, moon and four elements. In the lower left and right corners and in the central area of the map are a pair of sea monsters, a soaring bird and flowering plants. California is show as an island and Terra Australis Incognita is shown pre the discoveries of Abel Tasman in 1642. The most striking features of the map are the depictions of the sun and moon and Jehovah, in Hebrew, at the top and interesting allegorical representations of the elements at bottom a dragon representing fire, a phoenix for air, a flowering plant for earth and a pair of sea monsters for water. The sea is stipple engraved. This is the second state, with the title in a strapwork panel at top, published in either Gottfried’s Historische Cronica (1657) or Gorhm’s Vermehrte Archotologica Cosmica (1695). References SHI MOTW 356A