Acquired From: Leen Helmink
Colouring: Coloured
Condition: Very Good
Confirmed: Yes
Date Acquired: 10/4/2013
Description: This double-hemisphere map of the world, engraved by Arnold and Hendrik van Langren, was published in Antwerp by Jan Baptista Vrients around 15981602. Though closely based on the world map Petrus Plancius created for Jan Huyghen van Linschotens Itinerario (Amsterdam, 1596), this version introduces several key changes and refinements, reflecting both updated geographic knowledge and editorial choices by Vrients, who acquired the plates and publishing rights after the death of Cornelis Claesz.nVrientss edition is distinguished by:n1. The inclusion of the Banda Islands, vital for the Dutch spice trade;n2. Alterations to the rendering of Nova Zembla, the northern coast of Asia, and the North Sea;n3. A reconfiguration of the allegorical panels: beneath the hemispheres, the separate figures of Mexicana and Peruvana have been replaced by a unified depiction of America, and the mythical Magellanica has been replaced by a full-panel Africa, indicating a shift toward more empirical geography.nPlancius, a Flemish-born theologian and geographer, was a key figure in the development of Dutch cartography and a founding geographer of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). His access to Portuguese navigational materials, acquired clandestinely by Dutch agents in Lisbon in 1592, gave him unique insight into global geography, particularly Asian and Arctic regions.nThis map is a product of that privileged knowledge, showing a speculative southern continent (Terra Australis), a bulbous depiction of Nova Guinea, and imaginative geography in the polar regions, alongside more detailed renderings of the East Indies and the Americas. While similar to his 1594 map (View Record (#71)), this map was tailored for inclusion in printed books or as a standalone sheet.nDecorative elements include allegorical personifications of the four continents, globes, and celestial armillary spheres. The hemispheres are surrounded by rich strapwork and Mannerist flourishes, typical of the engraving style of the Van Langren family.nThough printed in Antwerp, Vrientss edition was clearly aimed at a Dutch and international readership, reflecting the commercial ambitions of both the publisher and the expanding Dutch maritime empire. The map was sometimes included in later editions of Linschoten's Itinerario, as well as other compendium works issued by Vrients around 1600.
Engraver: Van Langren, Arnold and Hendrik
First published: Itinerario: Voyage ofte schipvaert Amsterdam: Cornelis Claesz., 1596
Mapmaker: Plancius, Petrus (1552-1622)
Price: 15,000
Primary Category: World
Purchase Reference: Ledger 2022 Inv. 2013-016
Rarity: R1 Extremely rare – occasionally seen on the market
References: Schilder MCN IV,
Shirley ID #: 192 Mapping the World
Technique: Copper Engraving
This state: Separate Publication, Antwerp: Jan Baptista Vrients 1596
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