Typus Orbis Terrarium – an Elizabethan world map with Jesus Christ inset and showing mythical lands by Matthias Quad, 1596

Description

“TYPUS ORBIS TERRARUM, AD IMITATIONEM UNIVERSALIS GERHARDI MERCATORIS” – a scarce early world map with a figure of Jesus Christ on the left and showing an array of mythical lands and places, engraved by Matthias Quad and printed and hand-coloured by Johann Bussemacher in 1596 in Cologne.

Matthias Quad (1557–1613) was an engraver and cartographer from Cologne. Matthias Quad was born and learnt engraving in the Netherlands. An engraver in wood and stone, Quad collaborated with the Cologine publisher Johann Bussemacher. Quad’s world map imitates planispheric 1569 map of Mercator with the addition of the figure of Christ and a quote from Cicero at the bottom. South America has the large western bulge similar to contemporary maps by Mercator and Ortelius. The mythical islands of Groclant, Thule, Frischlant and S. Brandam are shown near Greenland. Large Terra Australis Incognita at the bottom of the map with Straits of Magellan but no way around the Cape Horn. Asia includes references to the mythical lands of Beach and Lucach based upon Marco Polo, oddly shaped Japan but no Korean Peninsula. Classic 16th Century cartographic representation of North America, dominated by St. Lawrence River reaching to Texas and the Great Plains. Quivira shown as a town on the west coast of North America.

This poster is a high quality “giclee” reproduction of a restored antique original, custom-printed on Standard Single-weight Matt Coated art paper 140gsm or  Heavyweight Matt Coated art paper 230gsm (more of a thin card density), or superb Epson Matt Canvas 320gsm, according to your choice. We use the latest UltraChromeHDX pigment inks which guarantee 60 years of colour  permanence (up to 200 years fade-proof for colour prints).  This poster is suitable for mounting and framing, as well as direct display on a wall.

IMPORTANT: If you are going to frame this print we recommend art paper 230gsm or canvas 320gsm. The 140gsm art paper option makes sense if you wish to DIY-frame or to tack the poster to a wall without framing, due to it being lighter and more flexible. All three options are giclee prints of the same high quality.

POSTER PRINT QUALITY

Please note that our reproduction posters are made to order and every print is checked before posting. The images we use in most cases are scans of the antique originals, professionally restored in order to remove the most evident stains, folds, tears and other damage. We strive to balance the restoration and saving the overall integrity and antique appearance of the original. Our restored images are unique and these prints can be purchased only from www.VictorianMaps.com.

There will be no watermark on your image but there might be a white border depending on aspect ratio of the original. Please note that when a large antique original is reduced to a smaller size print some text may not be readable. Please check our measurements: every poster has its own aspect ratio same as original and printed exactly as pictured.