TABU NOVA ASIAE MI.
\nWALDSEEMULLER, Martin (1470-1521)
\nStrasbourg, c.1521
\n26.2 x 47.7 cm.<\/p>\n
From the atlas \u2018Claudii Ptolemei … Opus Geographie\u2019 printed by Johannes Schotus.
\nClaudius Ptolemy (87-150) was an Egyptian astronomer and geographer living and studying in Alexandria. Alexandria was not only the home of the greatest library of any period, but was also one of the most important trade centres between west and east – here Ptolemy could not only study ancient authorities, but could also consult contemporary travellers and merchants. From this wealth of accumulated knowledge, Ptolemy composed his \u201cGeographia\u201d, a work of considerable genius, which \u201cdominated the whole of the Christian and Moslem world for 1,500 years\u201d (Tooley).
\nIt was Ptolemy who introduced the concept of latitude and longitude to form a grid to cover the whole world, so that it would be possible to plot the position of principal land-marks on the map by observations, and then fill in other information from other sources, including the notes and Itinerary of Marinus of Tyre, perhaps the most accurate source available.
\nUnfortunately Ptolemy was hampered by the paucity of observations – as a result he exaggerated the length of the Mediterranean by over 20 degrees -and by lack of information which was often circumvented by invention. Despite these errors, which persisted for nearly 1,500 years, the work was of fundamental importance at a time when little was being done in the way of modern mapping. As a result of this work, which was so far in advance of anything before or anything produced in the next 1,500 years, Ptolemy has earned the reputation and accolade, \u201cthe father of geography\u201d (Tooley).<\/p>\n
In 1477, the first printed edition of Ptolemy\u2019s \u201cGeographia\u201d with maps was issued in Bologna. Testimony to the influence of Ptolemy and popularity of his maps is given by the number of editions of the Ptolemaic atlas – even as late as 1840 \u201cclassical\u201d atlases were being published based almost solely on his detail of the Ancient World.
\nAlthough the cartographic content of the Ptolemaic atlases and maps was standard, certain editions are worthy of comment:-
\n\u2022 1477 the first edition with maps. Copper engravings.
\n\u2022 1482- Ulm Ptolemy. The first edition printed north of the Alps, with four modern
\nmaps added. Printed from woodblocks.
\n\u2022 1513- Published by Martin Waldseemuller, incorporating 20 new maps, including
\nthe second map to focus on the discoveries of the New World. Woodblocks.
\n\u2022 1522- Illustrated with woodblocks cut by Laurent Fries, careful reductions of
\nWaldseemuller\u2019s maps.
\n\u2022 1540- Sebastian Munster\u2019s issue of Ptolemy\u2019s maps; subsequently re-issued in
\na variety of books of classical geography -attractive woodblocks.
\n\u2022 1548- The first Italian text edition, the first miniature edition in copperplate of
\nPtolemy\u2019s Geography, including several new maps by Gastaldi.
\n\u2022 1561- Gastaldi\u2019s maps re-issued, in a slightly larger format, by Ruscelli and
\nValgrisi in Venice.
\n\u2022 1578- the first issue of Mercator\u2019s version of Ptolemy\u2019s maps – intended as a
\ncompanion to his Atlas of the Modern World. Numerous re-issues. For the 1698 edition, the plates were re-worked, substituting a new cartouche within the map, containing a second title.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TABU NOVA ASIAE MI. WALDSEEMULLER, Martin (1470-1521) Strasbourg, c.1521 26.2 x 47.7 cm. From the atlas \u2018Claudii Ptolemei … Opus Geographie\u2019 printed by Johannes Schotus. Claudius Ptolemy (87-150) was an…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":10734,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[74,55],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4456","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-haritalar","7":"product_cat-anadolu","9":"first","10":"instock","11":"purchasable","12":"product-type-simple"},"yoast_head":"\n