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Description

Rare Map of the Piedmont and Berry Regions

Rare old color example of Gerard De Jode's map of the Biturigum (Berry Province, France) and Piedmont Region (Italy), from his Speculum Orbis Terrarum, which along with Ortelius' Theatrum Orbis Terrarum are the earliest modern atlases of the World.

The map at the left is centered on Bourges and Vierzon on the Yevre River and Le Cher River respectively.

The map at the right is centered on Turin and extends south to the area around Nice, Antibes and Cannes and northeast to the Italian Riviera (Liguria).

As noted by Burden:

In 1578 Gerard de Jode published his Speculum Orbis Terrarum, an atlas aimed at competing with the Theatrum of Ortelius. However, the latter had first been issued in 1570 and had already built a commanding market presence, and so despite de Jode's longer standing reputation the atlas did not sell very well. Only a dozen or so examples have survived. Undeterred, he made plans for another expanded edition, and upon his death in 1591 it was taken on by his son Cornelis. The Speculum Orbis Terrae of 1593 likewise did not sell well and was never reissued. Although more examples than the first edition have survived, it too is very scarce. Many of de Jode's maps are judged to be superior to those of Ortelius, both in detail and style.

Condition Description
Old Color
Gerard de Jode Biography

Gerard De Jode (1509-1591) was a pre-eminent mapmaker in the late seventeenth century, a time when the Dutch dominated the map trade. He was known for his many maps, some of which featured in Speculum Orbis Terrae (first edition Antwerp: 1578). Although never as successful as Ortelius’ Theatrum, the Speculum did get republished in a second edition in 1593, two years after De Jode’s death, by Arnold Coninx, and included this map. After his death, Gerard’s son, Cornelis (1568-1600), and his wife, Paschina, ran the shop. Unfortunately, Cornelis died young in 1600, aged only 32, and the stock and plates were sold to the publisher Joan Baptista Vrients.