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Orbis typus universalis iuxta : hydrographorum traditionem
Map
This exquisite woodcut map is one of the first to show any part of North America. It originally appeared in the 1513 Strasbourg edition of Ptolemy's Geographia. The mapmaker, Martin Waldseemuller, made a trial version of this map in 1507 which contains the name "America" printed over Brazil; the only known copy is at Brown University. In the same year he printed a large wall map showing both North and South America; the only known copy is at the Library of Congress. After six years of further work, Waldseemuller finished his edition of Ptolemy in 1513. He supplemented its 27 ancient maps with 20 "modern" ones, including two showing discoveries by Columbus and Vespucci. This is the first of those, called "Hydrographia sive Charta marina" in the table of contents. The map that followed it in the volume, "Tabula Terre Nove," shows South America and the Caribbean in greater detail. The Wisconsin Historical Society ownership stamp was applied in 1896, but no other provenance data appears to survive. A clipped catalog description pasted in the right margin (listing its price at 30 francs) suggests that it had passed through the hands of a French dealer.
1513
Waldseemüller, Martin, 1470-1519 (cartographer)
Publication Information
| Creator | Waldseemüller, Martin, 1470-1519 (cartographer) |
|---|---|
| Publisher | [Strasbourg, I. Schotti?] |
| Date Created | 1513 |
| Language | Latin |
Physical Description
| Format | Map |
|---|---|
| Extent | 1 map |
| Dimensions | 77 x 61 cm |
Collection Information
| Digital Collection | Maps and Atlases |
|---|---|
| Call Number | GX11 1513 W |
| Catalog Record | https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/9910104469002121 |
Copyright Information
| Copyright Status | NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES |
|---|---|
| Rights Holder | Wisconsin Historical Society |
W014BLE
WHi 56247
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