1660 Map of the Western Hemisphere
An unusual and splendid figurative map of the Americas.
The map combines many different sources, including Luke Foxe’s model of the island of California. The only hint of the Great Lakes is a small L.
Content at the end of the St Lawrence River. Nieu Neder Land occupies the east coast, and there is no mention of any English settlement other than the name Virginia.
In South America, a large river and lake system borders Brazil, with the mythical Lake Eupana Lacus.
A second mythical lake, Parime Lacus, is shown along the equator.
The decoration is taken from van den Keere’s map of 1614.
The figures on the sides depict the natives of Virginia, Magellan and Brazil, and the cities at the top include Cusco, Mexico, Olinda, Havana, St Dominique and Cartagena.
The map is further embellished with a title card showing a native Indian riding an armadillo and Neptune frolicking in the Pacific with mermaids and seahorses. This is the first state of this map to be issued separately, with the date in the title.
