Americas. Landmark map of the continent based on Gerard Mercator's wall map, but published after his death by his son, Rumold. This map was drawn and engraved by his grandson, Michael Mercator, and is the only known map by him.



The three smaller roundel maps in the corners show Cuba, Hispaniola, and Mexico, while the fourth roundel contains the title. Mercator's iconic depiction of the Artic appears at the top of the map, and the bottom of the map is covered by an enormous Terra Australis Nondum Cognita, a remnant of classical Greek and Roman thought which declared that a large southern continent must exist to balance out the landmasses in the Northern Hemisphere.



Original hand-colour. Latin text on verso (image available on request). [AMER2084]



[Burden (P.): The Mapping of North America 87]