A very considerable number of his globes, doubtless constructed subsequent to 1622, can now be located, though at the time of writing his biography in 1872, Baudet could find trace of but five or six, including those of earlier date. In a searching study of the history of early globes, it may here be stated that the author of this monograph has now been able to locate no less than sixty Blaeu globes.
WORLD MAP OF 1605
Among the treasures of The Hispanic Society of America may be found a unique copy of Willem Janszoon Blaeu’s engraved World Map in two large hemispheres, issued in the year 1605. Stretching across its upper border is the title, “NOVA UNIVERSI TERRARUM ORBIS MAPPA EX OPTIMIS QUIBUSQUE GEOGRAphicis hydrographicisque tabulis summâ industriâ accuratissimè delineata, duobus planispheriis graphicè depicta à Guliel Janssonio Alcmar,” a title which in its special arrangement and in the form of its letters strikingly recalls the World Map of Jodocus Hondius of the year 1611, which, with Professor Joseph Fischer, the editor of this World Map of Blaeu recently issued in facsimile.[37] Here is a second fine example of Holland’s contribution to the cartography of a period particularly rich in this field of geography. Mounted on the coarse linen so frequently used for such purposes at that early day, and attached to a rough wooden frame, it is not a little surprising that it should have come down to us through these many years. The old mounting has not been disturbed for this reproduction, and with all of its suggestions of age, it hangs on the walls of The Hispanic Society’s Museum amidst other rich cartographical material of the period.
No reference to this great work of Blaeu appears in the literature of cartography, and it seems probable that we have here the only copy extant. In the records of the States General of Amsterdam may be found, however, the entry, “23 April 1605. Is W. Jansz. [Blaeu] van Alcmaer, ende Herman Alartsz, die de heren Staten gepresenteert hebben een grote Werelts Caerte, voor een gratuiteyt toegelegt 25 gl.,” and of the same date, “Id. Is W. Jz. van Alcmaer, wonende te Amsterdam, geaccordeert octroy, voor den tyt van 6 jaren etc. te mogen doen drukken ende vuyt geven een groote mappam mundi in twee ronden, by hem yerst uitgegeven.” These passages are cited by Baudet in his “Leven en werken van Willem Jansz. Blaeu” without comment other than a very brief word which would seem to indicate that the author had no definite knowledge of the map or maps to which reference is made in the above record.[38] It is altogether probable that we have in these entries a reference to this particular map.
World Map from Toonneel des Aerdrycx, by Willem Janszoon Blaeu
click image to enlarge
Curiously and somewhat vexatiously, one finds in the reference to the copyright privilege, granted by the authorities, appearing on sheet thirteen, the date “23 April ——,” the numbers designating the year wanting because of the injured condition of the map. Some wonder is occasioned by the appearance of the French lilies in the elaborately engraved cartouche on sheets thirteen and fourteen, and by the dedication to Henry IV of France, which reads, “Serenissimo Christianissimo ac potentissimo D. D. Henrico IIII Franciae et Navarre Regi. Domino suo ... entissimo hanc Universi orbis terrarum Mappam I. M. Q. dat di ... dedicat.” Close examination, however, discloses the fact that both the lilies and the dedication were skilfully pasted on the map after its completion, though by whom and on what particular occasion remain matters of conjecture. The attachment of the coat of arms and the dedication must have occurred before 1610, the date of King Henry’s death, and the fact serves at least to fix the time when the map was engraved as prior to that year, or in all probability in 1605.
The map is 244 × 134 cm. in size, including the border. The two large hemispheres, each 116 cm. in diameter, present the world, as then known, in stereographic projection. An ornamental border surrounds it, and all available space outside the great hemispheres and within this border is filled with pictures of cities, rulers in martial array, representations of the typical races of men, while in the angles formed at the top and at the bottom of the map, between the two hemispheres, appear the north and the south celestial hemispheres, each 26 cm. in diameter.
The map is not well preserved, a fact easily recognized in the reproduction. Certain parts, it will be noted, are entirely wanting, having fallen away from the old mounting, but there is little missing that is of the first importance excepting the northwest section of South America, the western Mediterranean lands and portions of the island region southeast of Asia. Though many of the names are illegible by reason of discoloration, it was thought inadvisable to attempt the cleaning of the surface on account of the brittle condition of the old paper. The eighteen sheets in the facsimile, corresponding to the eighteen sheets of the original, together with the key plate much reduced but showing the entire map, have been printed on a fine quality of Van Gelder hand-made paper. Care has been exercised to have each of the sheets appear in the reproduction as in the original, in so far as has been possible, no attempt being made to remedy defects.