"Venezuela, cum Parte Australi Novae Andalusiae", Hondius/Blaeu

Beautifully engraved map based on the cartography of Hessel Gerritsz covering the northern coast of South America, Venezuela, east to the mouth of the Orinoco, and including the offshore islands from Aruba through Dominica and Tobago. The fine engraving illustrates the mountains, forests, rivers and indigenous animals but shows place names primarily along the coastlines owing to the relatively few explorations made into the interior. The map is richly embellished with title and distance scale cartouches, compass roses and a galleon. Using the plate bought from Jodocus Hondius' widow in 1629, Blaeu changed the imprint and issued this map along with several other American maps from about 1630 to 1672 when fire destroyed the printing house. French text on verso, published between 1643-50.

References: Van der Krogt (Vol. II) #9830:2.2.

Condition: A

A dark impression on watermarked paper with wide margins and attractive color. There is light printer's ink residue, minor foxing in the blank margins, and light creases along the edges of the sheet far from image.