Antique world map by P. Forlani 1565
Universale Descrittione Di Tutta la Terra Conosciuta Fin Qui - Paulo forlani Veronese fecit. Ferando berteli Exc. 1565.
Item Number: 24202 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > World and Polar
World map printed from two sheets, joined.
Date: 1565
Nice, strong impression of Paolo Forlani's third world map derived from Giacomo Gastaldi's 1546 prototype world map. It has the same title as that of 1562 but it is in two sheets and considerably larger. A very large and extensive southern continent had been added, as well as imaginary mountain ranges, Forlani has populated his terra incognita with a host of unlikely animals - among them a lion, a camel, an elephant, a rhinoceros, a griffin and a unicorn.
Two large cherub head backed by butterfly-like wings occupy the two corners: in the lower corners are lines of text, including a dedication to Bartolomeo Zacco. The map makes no mention of Gastaldi himself. North America is still joined to Asia, and if Gastaldi's new world map showing the strait of Anian was promulgated in c.1561 then Forlani has chosen to disregard this innovation.
This is the third state of seven recorded states of this map. Although Bagrow implies that the earliest state of this map is dated 1562, Shirley says that he never came across any such example, nor he has located any copies unequivocably dated 1563 (state 1) and those reported with this date may possibly be based on mis-readings of the most commonly found date of 1565, as the final '5' is very similar to a '3'. (Shirley)
Publisher: F. Bertelli
Copper engraving
Size: 44 x 77.5cm (17.2 x 30.2 inches)
Verso: Blank
Condition: Bottom left margin reinforced, tear in left middle (repaired) running 8 cm into the image, small printers crease at upper left flattened, good copy.
Condition Rating: B
References: Shirley (World), State 3; Tooley, Italian Atlases, 12
From: Italian composite atlas.