Catalog Archive
Auction 118, Lot 785

"Palestinae Sive Totius Terrae Promissionis Nova Descriptio Auctore Tilemanno Stella Sigenensi", Ortelius, Abraham

Subject: Holy Land

Period: 1570 (published)

Publication: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum

Color: Hand Color

Size:
18.5 x 14 inches
47 x 35.6 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

This is Ortelius' first map of the Holy Land. It covers the region from the Nile Delta to Lebanon, and focuses on the desert of the Exodus. Ortelius' map was based on Tilemanno Stella's map of 1557 that became the prototype for the modern cartography of the Holy Land. Stella adapted the coastline and Dead Sea from the configuration of Jacob Ziegler's map of 1532. But here, Ortelius rounds Stella's angular Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The map is richly decorated with two elaborate, neoclassical cartouches. The unique square compass rose showing magnetic declination was also copied from Ziegler, but here is curiously shown up-side-down. The sea is teaming with five ships (three of which are shown with canons firing) and three sea monsters. This example is from the first of three plates used for the Theatrum. Latin text on verso.

References: Nebenzahl (HL) pp. 84-86; Laor #539; Tooley (TMC-3) p. 28; Van den Broecke #170.

Condition: B

Some paper damage repaired in bottom left corner and at centerfold.

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,200

Sold for: $750

Closed on 3/6/2007

Archived