"Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula", Hondius/Jansson

This is Jansson's later, and scarcer, edition of Hondius' superb baroque-style world map. The map features hemispheres surrounded by voluptuous representations of the four elements: Fire, by Apollo driving the Sun's chariot across the sky; Aeros, the goddess of Air, surrounded by clouds and birds; Mother Earth, surrounded by animals and the earth's bounty; and Water represented by a Siren and sea monsters. Tucked between the hemispheres are a celestial globe with the figure of the sun at the top, and a scene of Europa receiving tribute from Asia, America and Africa with a figure of the moon at the bottom. Four portraits fill the corners: Julius Caesar, Claudius Ptolemy, Jodocus Hondius and Gerard Mercator. The scenes are all beautifully linked together with a rich garland of fruit. The map features the island of California and Queen Anne's forland (Baffin's Island) on the northeast coast of Canada. It has been updated with the Straet de Vries separating the large Compagnies Land from Asia. This landmass labeled Compagnies Land had previous stretched from just north of California off the left part of the map and had been labeled Nova Albion. Australia has now been fleshed out with the northern and western coastlines in the Eastern Hemisphere. A bit of Tasmania and New Zealand appear in the South Pacific reflecting the Tasman's expedition. Both Hondius and Jansson imprints at bottom.

References: Shirley #336.

Condition: A

Nice impression and very fine later color with gold highlights. Minor mat burn in blank margins and margins slightly trimmed from a previous framing.