Brasilia et Peruvia. Ad Strenuu et Magnificu Dnm. D. Theodoricu Echter a Mesthelbru, Sac. Caes. Maiesti. & Reverediss. Principi, Episc. Herbipolesi, primu a confilijs. &c. [Brazil and Peru. To the vigorous and magnificent Theodoricus Echter of Mespelbrunn, Sacred, Caesar, Majestic and Most Revered Prince Bishop of Herbipolis [Würzburg], first among advisers, &c.]

Antwerp, 1593. Map. Hand-colored copperplate engraved map. Provenance: The Goodyear Collection

Hand-colored example of De Jode's important early map of South America, based on Petrus Plancius's wall map of the world, published in 1592.

De Jode's map of South America is one of the earliest maps to focus on the continent of South America, and is the earliest Dutch map of South America. The map provides a fine detailed treatment of the known and explored regions of South America, which had been heavily mapped and explored by the Spanish and Portuguese by the late 1500s. This map is among the few which reference the Straits of Magellan by its earlier name, "Estrecho de la Victoria." The name was used by Antonio Pigafetta (1491-1531) in his description of Magellan's voyage, named for Magellan's flagship, which illustrated the area west of the Strait. The map also includes detailed information and annotations about the unknown Southern Continent including place-names, and represents it as a landmass with Tierra del Fuego merging into Australia. In the interior of South America, the larger river systems are shown, along with annotations describing the regions, flora, and fauna. The map extends to Central America and the Caribbean, and is embellished with ships and sea monsters. It also includes a finely detailed treatment of the coastal regions of the continent, along with a number of fanciful features in the interior, including decorative vignettes, native scenes, and animals. Two vignettes show life at a cannibal's campsite and a battle between indigenous people armed with bows and arrows and explorers armed with rifles. This was De Jode's second map of South America; it was preceded by his Americae Peruvi published in 1578. Cornelis De Jode was the son of the cartographer Gerard de Jode (1511-1591), and studied at the Academy of Douai, in France. After his father died, De Jode took over the work on his unfinished atlas, which Cornelis eventually published in an enlarged edition with ten additional maps in 1593 as Speculum Orbis Terrae. This map was produced specifically for the second edition. "Despite the difficulties surrounding the publication of the Speculum it must have had a good reputation, and Petrus Montanus mentions it in the same breath with Mercator's Atlas and Ortelius's Theatrum in his preface to Pieter Kaerius's Germaniae inferior." [Wardington Catalog] Either Cornelis or Gerard was the first person to make a globe following the geography of Mercator in the southern hemisphere, but no copies of it survive to provide evidence.

Van der Krogt, Atlantes 9800: 32B.