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First map to use CANADA in its title
Canada - Gulf and River of St. Lawrence, by C. van Wytfliet. 1607

In 1597 Cornelis van Wytfliet published his Augmentum to Ptolemy's Geography. This is true as much as it covers all the Americas, a part of the world unknown to the latter; however, no other connection exists. Dedicated to Philip III of Spain, it is a history of the New World, recording its discovery, natural history etc. For the book, Wytfliet had engraved nineteen maps, by whom we do not know, one of the world and eighteen regional maps of the Americas. This book can be indeed called the first Atlas of America. It was an immediate success and ran to several editions. 

This is the first map to use CANADA in its title and the first to concentrate on the river and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It summarises sixteenth-century knowledge of the area before the expansion of France here and the voyages of Samuel de Champlain.
The general outline is mainly derived from Gerard Mercator, with additional information gleaned from other sources. Not all new information, however, is used, specifically Cornelis Claesz's depiction of Newfoundland as one island, c.1594. Two separate regions are named: CANADA is north of the St. Lawrence River and east of the Saguenay River, and Nova Francia is centred on the town and river of Hochelaga, now Montreal. (Burden)


Cornelius Wytfliet (? – 1597)

Cornelius Wytfliet was a geographer from Leuven. After graduating with a Licentiate in Laws from the University of Leuven, Wytfliet moved to Brussels and became secretary to the Council of Brabant.
In 1597, he published the first atlas of America: the Descriptionis Ptolemaicae Augmentum (Augmentation to Ptolemy’s description). He named his work an augmentation of Ptolemy’s Geography because it covers the Americas, a part of the world unknown to Ptolemy. However, there is no other connection between the works of Ptolemy and Van Wytfliet. Dedicated to Philip III of Spain, it is a history of the New World to date, recording its discovery, natural history, etc. It provides a history of exploration and the voyages of Christopher Columbus (1492-1502), John Cabot (1497-98), Sebastian Cabot (1526-28), Francisco Pizarro (1527-35), Giovanni de Verazzano (1524), Jacques Cartier (1540-42), and Martin Frobisher (1576-78). Most of Van Wytfliet’s maps are the first or among the earliest of specific regions of North and South America.
For the book, Wytfliet had engraved nineteen maps, one of the world and eighteen regional maps of the Americas. The book was an immediate success and ran to several editions.
Two editions of the Descriptionis Ptolemaicae were published at Leuven in 1597 and 1598, and in 1603, the first Douai edition appeared, with later editions with French text. The last edition was published in Arnhem in 1615.

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Nova Francia et Canada.

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Item Number:  29970 Authenticity Guarantee

Category:  Antique maps > America > North America

Old, antique map of Canada - Gulf and River of St. Lawrence, by C. van Wytfliet.

Title: Nova Francia et Canada.

Date of the first edition: 1597.
Date of this map: 1607.

Copper engraving, printed on paper.
Image size: 230 x 290mm (9.06 x 11.42 inches).
Sheet size: 280 x 305mm (11.02 x 12.01 inches).
Verso: Blank.
Condition: Excellent.
Condition Rating: A+.

From: Histoire Universelle des Indes Occidentales. Douai, Françoes Fabri, 1607. (Van der Krogt 3, 371:12)

In 1597 Cornelis van Wytfliet published his Augmentum to Ptolemy's Geography. This is true as much as it covers all the Americas, a part of the world unknown to the latter; however, no other connection exists. Dedicated to Philip III of Spain, it is a history of the New World, recording its discovery, natural history etc. For the book, Wytfliet had engraved nineteen maps, by whom we do not know, one of the world and eighteen regional maps of the Americas. This book can be indeed called the first Atlas of America. It was an immediate success and ran to several editions. 

This is the first map to use CANADA in its title and the first to concentrate on the river and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It summarises sixteenth-century knowledge of the area before the expansion of France here and the voyages of Samuel de Champlain.
The general outline is mainly derived from Gerard Mercator, with additional information gleaned from other sources. Not all new information, however, is used, specifically Cornelis Claesz's depiction of Newfoundland as one island, c.1594. Two separate regions are named: CANADA is north of the St. Lawrence River and east of the Saguenay River, and Nova Francia is centred on the town and river of Hochelaga, now Montreal. (Burden)


Cornelius Wytfliet (? – 1597)

Cornelius Wytfliet was a geographer from Leuven. After graduating with a Licentiate in Laws from the University of Leuven, Wytfliet moved to Brussels and became secretary to the Council of Brabant.
In 1597, he published the first atlas of America: the Descriptionis Ptolemaicae Augmentum (Augmentation to Ptolemy’s description). He named his work an augmentation of Ptolemy’s Geography because it covers the Americas, a part of the world unknown to Ptolemy. However, there is no other connection between the works of Ptolemy and Van Wytfliet. Dedicated to Philip III of Spain, it is a history of the New World to date, recording its discovery, natural history, etc. It provides a history of exploration and the voyages of Christopher Columbus (1492-1502), John Cabot (1497-98), Sebastian Cabot (1526-28), Francisco Pizarro (1527-35), Giovanni de Verazzano (1524), Jacques Cartier (1540-42), and Martin Frobisher (1576-78). Most of Van Wytfliet’s maps are the first or among the earliest of specific regions of North and South America.
For the book, Wytfliet had engraved nineteen maps, one of the world and eighteen regional maps of the Americas. The book was an immediate success and ran to several editions.
Two editions of the Descriptionis Ptolemaicae were published at Leuven in 1597 and 1598, and in 1603, the first Douai edition appeared, with later editions with French text. The last edition was published in Arnhem in 1615.

References: Van der Krogt 3 - 9400:371; Burden - #102 State 2; Kershaw - #36 Pl.22