Columbus Vespucci Magellan Pizzaro Tissue Paper

A striking example of Theodor De Bry's scarce and dramatic map of the New World shown in a sphere and bordered by full-length portraits of Columbus, Vespucci, Magellan, and Pizarro. This map was drawn by Plancius, a cartographer from the Low Countries in the 1600’s. The prints of his work were highly sought after for centuries. The map provides an excellent up-to-date depiction of the Western Hemisphere at the close of the 16th Century and is richly annotated throughout, including a reference to Columbus's discovery of America in 1492 and many other annotations regarding more recent discoveries. The West Coast of America is shown in a sweeping wide configuration, with Quivira, the Straits of Anian, and the great pre-California as an Island myth shown. De Bry adopts Mercator's depiction of the North Polar regions and the open Northwest Passage. Also incorporated for the first time on an American map is information from White and Le Moyne's explorations along the Southeast Coast of North America. A massive southern Continent is shown (Terra Australis Magellanica), along with an exaggerated width for South America. The map incorporates information acquired by Cornelis Claesz in 1594 from the Lasso chart, showing a single insular Newfoundland. The cartography for De Bry's map is derived primarily from Plancius' world map of 1594, providing a relatively correct shape for the period and showing a vast southern land mass extending from New Guinea to Tierra del Fuego and beyond. It represents a fine blend of decorative imagery and informative cartography. The map accompanies Part Six of De Bry's Grand Voyages.