Арбет Мрамор / Arbet Marble / Large world map, Amsterdam, 1683 - replica

Large world map, Amsterdam, 1683 size 98 X 68 cm. The “Big Map of the World” (Magna Carta Mundi) was compiled by Nicholas Ioannis Fisher and published in Amsterdam in 1683. Nicholas Ioannis, as an excellent engraver and artist, founded the publishing house of engravers and cartographers in Amsterdam. The publishing house was called "House of Piskators", which was a translation into Latin of the name Fisher (Visscher - fisherman). Fisher's authorship is spelled out in a small cartouche in the lower right of the eastern hemisphere. This world map was first published in 1670 after the death of Nokolas Ioannis (1652). During this period, the Piskator Publishing House was headed by his son Nicholas I. The 1670 edition is well known and widely replicated. It contains numerous picturesque drawings around the perimeter of the map, symbolizing the months of the year, continents and historical plots on the subject of geographical discoveries, conquests and conquests. The world map presented here is very rare, as it is another version of Fischer’s original Magna Carta Mundi. This version was published in 1683 when the publishing house passed to Fisher’s grandson Nicholas II. This map is a beautiful example of cartography of the XVII century. Of course, from a geographical point of view, the differences from modern maps are clearly visible. The location of the continents and their size in comparison with the size of the hemispheres are significantly different from the latest maps. The regions of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica have not been explored at all. But the outlines of Eurasia, Africa and both Americas are quite recognizable. Pay attention to the name of the ocean washing the north-eastern part of Russia - Oceanus Tartaricus - Tartary Ocean. He washes the country of Tartaria, as Russia was called before. Missing geographical information on the map is compensated by colorful drawings, which are located just on unexplored zones. In the southern part of the Western Hemisphere, a group of six prominent travelers and explorers of the time is depicted: Fernan Magellan - made the first trip around the world in 1520 Thomas Cavendish - a pirate, made the third trip around the world in 1587. Christopher Columbus - discovered America in 1492 Amerigo Vespucci - made several trips to the shores of South America, the first of which was in 1499. Oliver van Noort, a pirate, tried to capture and conquer the Philippines from the Spaniards in 1600. Francis Drake - made the second trip around the world in 1579 The north and south poles with the zodiacal constellations of the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively, are placed in the center of the map above and below. On both sides of the circles with poles, 4 elements are symbolically depicted: earth and water near the north pole, fire and air near the south. The drawings in the four corners of the map correspond to the four seasons: from above - spring and summer, from below - autumn and winter. At the very bottom in the center of the map is a small text box informing that the map includes observations of Frederick Houtmann, a Dutch navigator who reached the western coast of Australia in 1596.