Abraham Ortelius Late 16th-Century Map Engraving of Tartary, Japan, & More

Item Details

A late 16th century hand-colored map engraving by cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598), featuring Tartary, Japan, and the west coast of North America. Titled Tartariae Sive Magni Chami Regni typus, this map was featured in the 1612 Latin edition of the atlas Theatrum Orbis Terarrum, and is possibly a reissue. Some handwritten inscriptions are present near the lower edge, one of which reads ’A. Ortelius, Antwerp (1586). It is presented under glass and housed in a black composite wood frame.

Abraham Ortelius is celebrated as the creator of the first modern atlas titled Theatrum Orbis Terrarum published in 1570. Heavily influenced by Gerard Mercator with whom he traveled, he was appointed as the geographer for the King Philip II of Spain in 1575. Ortelius is regarded as a seminal figure in the Golden Age of Netherlandish cartography and recognized for his proposal of the continental drift as an explanation for the similarities between continental coasts. His work is among the most frequently collected of 16th-century cartographers.

Condition

- wear consistent with age; folding crease down center of map; minor foxing and toning scattered throughout; staples present in upper corner of paper; wear to frame includes small chips, scratches, stains, and finish loss scattered throughout.

Dimensions

- measurement of frame; plate marks measure approximately 18.5" W x 13.75" H.

Item #

18DCC239-009