"Typus Orbis Terrarum", Merian, Matthaus

This interesting twin hemisphere map features the island of California, a huge southern continent and no trace yet of Australia. The most striking features of the map are the depictions of the sun and moon and Jehovah, in Hebrew, at top and interesting allegorical representations of the elements at bottom; a dragon represents fire, a phoenix for air, a flowering plant for earth and a pair of sea monsters for water. The sea is stipple engraved. This is the second state, with the title in a strapwork panel at top, published in either Gottfried's Historische Cronica (1657) or Gorhm's Vermehrte Archotologica Cosmica (1695).

References: Shirley #356A.

Condition: A

Fine impression and old color with some minor spots in the blank margins.