Part of a Set of Ortelius' World and Four Continents in Exceedingly Fine Condition:    Africae Tabula Nova Edita Antverpiae 1570.

Original copperplate engraved map
Fine Handcolor
375 x 504 mm
Map # W-109(1)
$ Sold (as part of a matching set of 5 maps)

Click here for larger image

Geographically, the map of Africa is a close copy of Gastaldi’s map of 1564 and follows the Ptolemaic view of the Nile.  It generally replaced Sebastian Munster's widely circulated map of Africa.   Ortelius' map was modern in appearance, compared to Munster and others, and remained the standard map of Africa well into the 17^th century (Tooley, p. 88).  The map contains a superb vignette of a naval battle on bottom right, and various sea monsters.  

This map is part of a matching set of the world and the four continent maps for Ortelius' Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.   The Theatrum Orbis Terrarum was the first atlas that produced a uniform series of maps of the world.  The publication of the Theatrum.Orbis Terrarum  can be considered the starting point for over 100 years of Dutch supremacy in the production of beautiful maps and atlases.  

To read about and view the other maps in the set,  click the hyperlink on each of the following names  -   The World,  The Americas,  Asia,  Europe.

The set is from a later edition of the Theatrum with a possible date of 1592, 1595, 1601, 1603, or, less likely, 1609, or 1612, based on van den Broecke.  Text on verso is in Latin with a page no. "4".   The map still has a date of 1570 at the bottom on the title cartouche.  According to van den Broecke, this date was removed some time between 1606 and 1612 (van den Broecke, p. 48).

(van den Broecke, map #8. Tooley’s Guide to Maps of Africa, p 88. Norwich, 10).

Very Fine Condition.  It will be extremely difficult to find a set of Ortelius world and continent maps in as fine a condition.  Wide margins.  Clean, bright map image.   All five maps in the set have similar minor professional patches in corner bottom margins.