This is one of the earliest decorative maps of South America available. It was first published by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) for his first edition of Gerard Mercator’s atlas in 1606. One of the more notable features of this map is the isolated nature of Brazil cut off by ‘Eupana Lacus’ with rivers extending to the north into the Amazon River and the Atlantic, and south into the Rio de la Plata. North of the Amazon is the mythical ‘Parime Lacus’, the reputed site of El Dorado. It would dominate maps of the continent for a long time. The Straits of Magellan are illustrated but not Cape Horn which would not be rounded for another decade. On the west coast the settlement of ‘Castro Chilire’ is the further south but is misplaced on the mainland. Founded in 1567, it is Chile’s third oldest settlement and sits on the island of Chiloe. The tall figure of a Patagonian is placed to the east. A fine inset of a walled city of Cusco and an ornate title cartouche decorate the lower corners. The whole is finished with sea creatures, two European ships and a native canoe.

The first part to Mercator’s atlas was published in 1585 and expanded but at the time of his death in 1594 only two parts had been issued. It was continued by family members but remained incomplete at the edition in 1602. Throughout this period, it was competing with the highly successful atlas of Abraham Ortelius. By 1604 Hondius was flourishing, and in that year, he acquired all the plates from Mercator’s descendants. He immediately set about engraving several new maps to augment and complete the work. He also had the original text expanded by Petrus Montanus. In the following year he brought out an edition of Mercator’s Ptolemy, and in 1606 his first edition of the general atlas which proved instantly popular, selling out within a year.

This example is from the French edition of 1633 entitled ‘Atlas, ou Representation du Monde Universel’. Following Jodocus’ death in 1612, the atlas continued to be published under his name by his widow (the editions of 1612-19). Then it was published by his sons Jodocus the younger (1594/5-1629) and Henricus (1597-1651). Provenance: Paulus Swaen; Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Koeman (1967-70) Me 36 143; Van der Krogt (1997-2010) 9800:1A.