Among the legends appearing in the southern hemisphere is one which is but a repetition of that appearing in the edition of 1585 referring to the source of information beginning, “In descriptio hujus ...” Beneath the artistic cartouch wherein is placed the last-named legend is one in which are recorded the names of the author and the engraver, “Jacobus Florentius Ultrajectensis Author: Arnoldus Florentius filius sculptor Amstelredami Ao. Dni,” the date, partially erased from the copper plate employed in the printing, seems to read 1585. Certain regions are adorned with pictures in which are represented the aborigines, and the local fauna and flora. Sea monsters constitute a part of the decorative features of the globe map, and ships sail hither and thither over the oceans, carrying the flags of their respective countries. The author has laid down the “Streto de Anian” which separated America from Asia, and California is a peninsula. The “Quivira regnum” is made to include a part of western North America, and the great stretch of country to the west of the Mississippi appears to be the home of wild horses and cattle. The eastern coast line of America included within the present limits of the United States is represented with a remarkable approach to accuracy, a portion of his information for that region being derived from the report of Thomas Heriot. Following Mercator there have been placed four large islands around the north pole, and in the north Atlantic “Frisland,” “S. Brandain,” and “Brasil.” India, Australia, and other regions of the Far East have been represented with remarkable faithfulness to the latest and best records of Dutch navigators, and the author profited by Dutch records of exploration in his representation of the Nova Zembla region. There is yet a far from accurate delineation of the great eastern archipelago. Java, Celebes, Borneo, and “Nova Guinea” have been fairly well outlined, and about the south pole is that great austral continent conspicuous on the maps of the period, but very generally outlined as the fancy of the map maker directed.
In the library of the University of Ghent is a Van Langren terrestrial globe undated but apparently completed not long after 1616, since it directs attention to the Strait of Lemaire, discovered in that year. It has the authors’ inscription “Jacobus Florentius Ultrajectensis Author. Arnoldus Florentius filius sculptor Amsterdam,” and bears in addition the legend “Arnoldus Florentius a Langren, Serenissum. Archiducu. Austr. Burgundiae, Brabantiae, Ducum, Sphaereographus Author. Cum Privileg.” “Arnoldus Florentius a Langren globe maker and author to the most Serene Archduke of Austria, of Burgundy, Duke of Brabant. With privilege.” This globe is described as one well preserved, resembling very closely that of 1612, particularly in its geographical details as well as in its mountings.
The Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris possesses a Van Langren terrestrial globe, with date illegible, but thought to be 1625, which appears to be a reissue of the previous editions, especially of the later ones. A legend including an address to the reader concludes with a reference to the author “Arnoldus Florentio a Langren Reg. Cat. Majis. cosmografo et pensionario.” “Arnoldus Florentius a Langren, cosmographer and pensioner of His Catholic Majesty.”
There are two globes of Arnoldus, a celestial and a terrestrial, formerly in the Municipal Archives of Antwerp, now in the Plantin-Moritus Museum. An inscription on the celestial globe reads: “Globus coelestis stellarum fixarum loca ipsis in coelo ad amussim congrua repraesentans ad annum 1600 juxta accuratas observationes Tychonis Brahe denuo ad annum 162—: diligentiss. restitutus novis item stellis 400 hactenus non notatis. Ornatusque trecentis stellis circa polum antarcticum ab Houtmanno Holando observatis industria Arnoldi Florentii van Langren Cosmographici, qui olim observationibus: Tyconis interfuit. Operam sibi filii parenti felicissime contulerunt.” “A celestial globe which represents the position of the fixed stars, corresponding to the actual position of the stars in the sky in the year 1600, following the accurate observations of Tycho Brahe and with great care again calculated for the year 162—: also 400 new stars are added which had not hitherto been recorded. Also there have been added 300 south polar stars that were observed by Houtman of Holland. Constructed by Arnold Florent van Langren, cosmographer who assisted Tycho in his observations. The sons have aided their father with the happiest effect.”
The terrestrial globe, in a much better state of preservation, contains, in a neat cartouch, an address to the reader, explaining the merits of the globe map: “Quandoquidem quotidiana diversarum nationum, praecipue tamen Holandorum navigatione omnes mundi plagas perlustrantium, varii orbis tractus, remotae insulae et quamplurima regna hactenenus incognita nunc in dies innotuere, et quae fuere cognita majori studio et situs observatione perlustrata sunt. Prodit hic noster Globus multo praecedentibus a nobis editis, qui primi in his provinciis prodierunt accuratior et emendatior. In quo omnium locorum nomina, et quo tempore, et cujus auspiciis quaeque detecta sint expressimus. Curavimus praeterea non sine magno labore et cura, ut singulae Regiones, Insulae, Portus, Braevia, et Scopuli suae longitudini et latitudini respondeant, quibus Indices seu lineas ventorum ...” “Inasmuch as, on account of voyages, daily undertaken by various nations, especially the Dutch, who have sailed along all the coasts of the world, the various regions of the earth, distant islands, and innumerable countries hitherto unknown, have every day become better known (additional facts) and our knowledge of those already discovered has become much clearer through a more detailed examination and detailed observation, this present globe of ours, presents itself to the public as one much more exact, more free from errors than those previously issued by us, which were the first ever presented to the public of these provinces. On it we have recorded the names of all places, also when and under whose auspices they were severally discovered. We have taken the greatest care and pains to make the location of the various regions, islands, seaports, shoals, and rocks correspond to the true latitude and longitude, whereby the directions of the winds (loxodromic lines) ...” The concluding lines of this address are illegible, but there seems to be nothing of special importance lost. The author’s signature reads “Auctor Arnoldo Florentio a Langre Reg. Cat: Matis Cosmographo et Pensionario.” “Author Arnoldus Florentius a Langren, cosmographer and pensioner of His Royal Catholic Majesty.”
A copy of a Van Langren globe may be found in the Museum of Zütphen, but information concerning it has not been obtainable other than that it is in a damaged condition, and is apparently another example of the one referred to above as of 1612.
Among those interested in geography, in astronomy, and particularly in the construction of armillary spheres in this period very special mention should be made of Antonio Santucci. For some time he served Prince, later Grand Duke, Ferdinand de’ Medici as his cosmographer. It was during this period of service that he restored the famous terrestrial globe of Egnazio Danti which was a particularly creditable piece of work. In the year 1582 he constructed a large armillary sphere composed of wooden rings, very artistically gilded and painted, representing in particular the orbits of the planets. This the Prince is said to have presented to one Battaglioni of Naples; further than this fact nothing seems to be known of this particular example. In the year 1606, we are informed, he collected and sent to the Grand Duke a number of valuable maps relating to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the West Indies, and to the several separate countries of Europe. In the year 1619 he published, through the favor of Duke Ferdinand, a treatise on comets and the new stars appearing between the years 1577 and 1607. What is probably the finest of all his spheres belongs to the Museo di Strumenti Antichi of Florence, which has been restored and interestingly described by the distinguished scholar, Ferdinand Meucci.[374] As an instrument intended to represent the entire universe, though constructed for display rather than for use, it remains one of the finest constructed in the peninsula during the century.
The largest of its nine concentric circles has a diameter of 220 cm., the smallest a diameter of 70 cm., and at the common center is a terrestrial globe having a diameter of 60 cm. Each of the nine great circles or spheres has its own smaller circles representing the equator, the ecliptic, the colures, and the polar circles, the ninth having also the tropics and the hour circle. The eighth, representing the starry heavens, has its ecliptic four times the width of the corresponding circles of the other spheres. Meucci states, in his detailed description, that there are no less than eighty-two armillae or rings, large and small, to which, he adds, eight larger ones might be added, these being cut in half and arranged somewhat in the form of a cup, the lower half supporting the horizon circle, the upper half serving as a support for an adjustable cover of the entire instrument. This arrangement suggests that it was the author’s intention to have these last-named half circles represent the empyrean or home of the celestial spirits, a thought supported by the fact that at the common intersecting point of the upper half of these circles is placed a disc on which is represented the Deity in the act of contemplating his creation. The whole instrument is topped by a cross.
Meucci, in referring to his own work of restoring and remounting the great sphere, observes that at the poles of the ecliptic there are two discs on which have been painted the coat of arms of the Medici family together with the coat of arms of the Lorena, Christina di Lorena being the wife of Ferdinand, to whom the work had been dedicated. He further notes that his researches led him to the discovery that the instrument originally cost 1052.2 scudi, which, with an incidental addition of 170 scudi, thought proper to be included in the reckoning, would make the entire expense of construction 1222.2 scudi or about 7187 liri, that is, less than $1400. The amount seems insignificant, remembering that the work was begun in the year 1588 and was not completed until the year 1593, claiming therefore five years of the maker’s time. The map on the terrestrial globe seems to have been well drawn, and is remarkable for its representation of the geography of the interior of Africa, particularly for the region about the source of the Nile.
In the library of Mr. Henry E. Huntington may be found an exceedingly fine armillary sphere (Fig. [86]). It is neither signed nor dated, but there appears to be good reason for attributing it to Antonio Santucci, and its date to about the year 1580. Constructed entirely of wood, with paper identifying labels pasted on the surface of each of the numerous circles, it is a well-preserved example of Italian workmanship. It is furnished with horizon, meridian, tropical, polar, and ecliptic circles, the first being graduated on both the outer and the inner edge. This horizon circle has a diameter of about 50 cm., and a width of about 7 cm., the width of the other circles being well proportioned for artistic effect. Within the circles named are those representing the orbits of “Luna,” “Mercurio,” “Venere,” “Sole,” “Marte,” “Giove,” “Saturno,” with the earth at the center according to the Ptolemaic system. It has a single standard support resting on a solid circular disc about 33 cm. in diameter.