A very attractive sixteenth century map of the South American continent extending northwards to include Cuba. It was published by Cornelis de Jode (1558-1600) in the ‘Speculum Orbis Terræ’ of 1593. The atlas was first published by his father Gerard de Jode (1509-1591) under the slightly different title ‘Speculum Orbis Terrarum’ in 1578. It is exceedingly scarce. Despite what many commentators state, this is not the first Dutch map of South America, there was one in the first edition also. This is a different, revised, and updated plate.

In this map the two plans of Cusco and Mexico City are omitted, and an ornate title now runs across the top of the map. The outline of the continent is subtly improved and interior details updated. One of the more notable changes is the loss of an overly large Lake Titicaca and its far more accurate size and placement. The Amazon River is altered and displays an extensive network of tributaries. Placenames now extend all the way down the west coast to the Straits of Magellan which is here named ‘Estrecho de Victoria’, so-called by Antonio Pigafetta, one of only 18 survivors of Magellan’s circumnavigation 1519-22. The ‘Victoria’ was the only vessel to make it home. He had kept a journal of the three-year voyage, manuscript copies of which were made upon his return. It was not printed until 1800. De Jode does also apply the more familiar name to the east.

The mythical southern continent is displayed across the bottom with numerous placenames! of Gerard de Jode began work on an expanded and updated edition of his atlas but unfortunately died in 1591 before its completion. His son Cornelis continued the business and must have been responsible for this map as it is fundamentally derived from Petrus Plancius’ eighteen sheet wall map of the world map published in 1592. The finished atlas whilst more common than the earlier edition is still very rare. Many of the de Jode’s maps are judged to be superior to those of Ortelius, both in detail and style.

The interior of the map whole map is fauna, a gruesome vignette of cannibals and a battle between Europeans and natives. The seas are decorated with ships, canoes, and sea creatures. Various legends appear also. The title records a dedication to a brave and magnificent Theodore Echter of Meselburg about whom I have been unable to find out anything. Provenance: Richard B. Arkway Inc. 1990s; Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Koeman (1967) vol. 2, p. 205 Jod 2 no. 3; Van der Krogt (1997-2010) 9800:32B; Martinic (1999) II.52; Rada (2004) pp. 44-5.