Carte Generale du Monde, ou Description du Monde Terrestre & Aquatique. / Generale Waereld Kaart, of Beschryving van de Land en Water Waereld.
[General map of the world, or description of the terrestrial and aquatic world]
Amsterdam: MORTIER, Pierre, 1700
Size (neatline): 47.3 x 40.2 cm / 18.6 x 15.8 in
Size (sheet): 52.7 x 44.3 cm / 20.7 x 17.4 in
Technique: Copper engraving
Colour: Hand coloured
Verso: Blank
Condition: Very good
Superb example of the first state of Mortier’s unique map of the world
Description
This is Pierre Mortier’s peculiar world map, drawn on Mercator’s projection. It is unique in its decorative use of four insets at the top. It also features several cartographic myths.
The insets consist, from left to right, of three circular diagrams and one miniature double-hemisphere world map. The diagrams depict, with respective quotations in Dutch and French, the following biblical scenes:
- the creation of day and night, with references to respective verses in the Book of Genesis (1:3, 1:5) and the Book of Job (26:10)
- the separation of land and water, with reference to Genesis 1:9
- the creation of the sun and moon, with reference to Genesis 1:16.
The insets are complemented by a miniature circular diagram at the centre of the map title, illustrating the four classical elements of earth, water, air, and fire.
Cartographic myths represented on Mortier’s map encompass:
- California as an island
- the (semi-mythical) Strait of Anián (Destroit d' Anian), leading into an imagined Mer Glaciale and from there to a Butons Bay, thus forming a fictitious northwest passage
- a large lake in western North America
- a Mer Douce (“Gentle Sea”) in place of the Great Lakes.
Further notable features include:
- severely truncated northeast coast of Asia
- Hokkaido named Terre de Yedso, i.e. a spelling variant of its historical name of Ezo
- New Guinea connected to Australia
- incomplete coastlines for northwestern North America, parts of Novaya Zemlya, Hokkaido, Australia, and Tasmania, and most of New Zealand.
This is the first state of the map, with Mortier’s imprint at bottom right.
The map was engraved by Johannes L. van Luchtenburg, with the diagrams engraved by Jan Goeree.
A beautiful and unusual map of the world.
Publication
Note: Image shows pagination annotation (Tom. 1. Pag. 2.) in top right corner.
Condition
Very good.
A sharp impression on a sheet with wide margins. Issued folding, now flattened. Beautifully coloured throughout. Professionally closed minor tear in the blank margin at bottom centre, not affecting image. A few minute spots under the two left diagrams and above the one in the map title. Minor spots in the blank margin. On verso, professional reinforcement of centrefold.
Reference
Shirley #622
Item #: 00652
US $1,500.00