Gerard De Jode

An important map of the world by Gerard De Jode, engraved by brothers Jan and Lucas van Doetecum, inspired by Abraham Ortelius's eight-sheet map of 1564.

• Gerard De Jode (Dutch, 1509-1591).
• Engraved by Jan and Lucas van Doetecum (Dutch).
• Universi Orbis seu Terreni Globi in Plano Effigies. Cum privegio.
• Antwerp: G. Smits, 1578.
• This work is presented unframed.

Cordiform (heart-shaped) projection, with wind-heads around the map and terrestrial and celestial spheres in the bottom corners.

On the map above North America, a 'north-west passage' connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, running outside the Arctic Circle, with Japan at the Pacific end. The Great Southern Continent follows the southern border of the map.

The map was ready for publication in 1571, but De Jode could not get a license to publish his atlas, apparently because of interference by Ortelius, who wanted to protect his own 10-year privilege for the Theatrum.

It was only in 1578 that the Speculum Orbis Terrarum was issued, by which time the title of this map had been altered, removing Ortelius's name as the source.

This map only appeared in the first edition of the atlas: the second, expanded edition of 1593, published by Gerard's widow and sons, contained two new world maps, on Mercator's Projection and a polar double-hemisphere.

Neither edition of the Speculum sold well, as Ortelius's Theatrum already dominated the market. The second edition was to be the last: after 1600 the plates were bought by Jan Baptiste Vrients, who also acquired the Ortelius rights, to ensure they were never printed again. This makes all editions of the De Jode maps quite scarce.