R1,800
Visscher - AFRICAE ACCURATE TABULA
Nicolas Visscher I
AFRICAE ACCURATA TABULA
Amsterdam: N Visscher, (c1658)[c1658]
Copperplate, outline colour, centerfold, margins trimmed, age toning, damp mark along bottom edge, repaired closed tear from map edge to centerfold crossing horn of Africa, some loss of text along centerfold, top left corner repaired, small tears and frittering along map edge, soiling next centerfold at top edge; verso: paint show through, ink notes; framed
from Atlas Contractus or separately published
43 by 53,5cm
LITERATURE
Betz #87
Norwich #55
The Visscher map reflects European knowledge and misinformation at the end of the 17th century. As such the coastline of Africa, and surprisingly its shape, is accurate, but in the interior Ptolemic ideas are reflected in showing two lakes as the source of the Nile.
The coastline of southern Africa is particularly interesting. Jan van Riebeeck established the first Dutch settlement at the Cape in 1652, and Visscher added greater detail to his map as a result of this expansion. Toponyms appear in multiple languages, for example both C. de Bona Spei (Latin) and C. de Bona Esperanca (Portuguese), but new Dutch names also appear, such as Schorrehoeck.
The dating of the map is complicated because it is often in undated composite atlasses. However, Betz's through and detailed research argue that circa 1658 is most likely.
Location of item(s): JOHANNESBURG
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