| This early and important map of Italy was based on the geography of G. Mercator, whose eponymous map projection is still in use today. Mercator's geography was distributed throughout Europe and mostly survives today by its inclusion in Jodocus Hondius's Atlas, first issued in 1606. This was the first great folio atlas of the 17th century and Hondius is one of the founders of the Dutch School of mapmaking which also became known as the Dutch Golden Age of Cartography. Mercator's maps in this atlas can be noted by Hondius's small engraved tribute which is usually present on the lower margin. In this case, the dedication "Per Gerardum Mercatorem cum Privilegio," is engraved on the lower left corner of the map. Original hand colour. [IT3305]. |