Regni Hispaniae Post Omniium by Abraham Ortelius

Code: 54221

Date: 1574

Waf (with all faults)  Abraham Ortelius' map of the Iberian Peninsula, from his  Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas of the world. REGNI | HISPANIAE POST |OMNIVM EDITIO:|NES LOCVPLETISSI|MA DESCRIPTIO. [A very reliable depiction of the kingdom of Spain after the publications of many [authors]].(bottom right:) "Cum priuilegio". [With privilege] (left centre:) "Fluuius hic subter | terram se condit" [Here the river flows underground].(Translation and information from the research of  Dr Marcel van den Broecke www.orteliusmaps.com).

Spain and  Portugal are delineated  in detail with the top of Northern Africa included to the south. The Balearic Islands are  present in the Mediterranean to the east. The interiors of Portugal and Spain are very detailed and  each town is noted with a building symbol. Rivers and mountains are also marked.

The title is in a decorative cartouche. In the lower left is a scale, which is topped with a large pair of dividers. A huge swordfish guards the Balearic Islands, while another sea monster approaches the Strait of Gibraltar from the west. In the upper left corner is a ship in full sail, with another to the right side of the map.

Cartographic sources: Carolus Clusius or Charles de l'Escluse (1526-1609) a botanist by profession, published a 6 sheet map of Spain in 1571 which refers to Ortelius' Theatrum map. Ortelius himself has also contributed to this map (Meurer p. 127-129, Karrow 26/2 p. 161-163). Next to Clusius, Ortelius mentions in his Catalogus Auctorum four more maps of the Spanish peninsula: Gastaldi, Vincentius Corsulensis, Henricus Coquus Gorchomius' map of 1581, and Thomas Geminus of 1555, the first map printed in England.

Dr van den Broecke suggests  that there were about 175 examples of this edition made.  This map appeared in four states, this is state 2 although it was altered relatively little over the course of its publishing history, which lasted from 1570 to 1612 with regard to Ortelius’ atlas.  
Copper engraving with  very attractive original hand colouring.  Overall sheet size:55.3 cms x 43.3cms; image size: 497mm x 379mm.  This map has had a hard life, please examine the photographs carefully.  The map is trimmed to the neatline  and bordered with old paper and old repairs on verso strengthen cracks caused, as so often, by the verdigris on the front of the map.  The right hand half of the map is backed onto this old paper.  All this is done roughly but skilfully and the resulting map is still an item of beauty with its gorgeous, orginal hand colouring.