{"product_id":"old-map-of-south-america-by-de-jode-1578-first-atlas-map-of-the-continent-cusco-mexico-city-insets-sea-monsters","title":"Old Map of South America by de Jode, 1578: first atlas map of the continent; Cusco \u0026 Mexico City insets; sea monsters","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmericae Peruvi Aque Ita ut Postremum Detecta Traditur Recens Delineatio is Cornelis de Jode’s striking vision of a newly apprehended world: one of the very first maps to portray South America alone, and the first of the continent to appear in a large commercial atlas. Issued in 1578 from the de Jode workshop that challenged Ortelius for primacy, it fuses fresh reports from pilots and chroniclers with the classical scaffolding of cosmography. The continent floats like a cut gem, its coasts clenched by the Atlantic and South Sea, while a commanding cartouche announces a learned enterprise. Here, discovery becomes design: political ambition, natural grandeur, and maritime daring distilled into a singular Renaissance image.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDe Jode organizes the land into kingdoms—Peru, Benzula, Brasil, Chili, and the far-spanning New Spain—signaling the imperial architecture taking root across the Americas. The great Andean backbone is marched across the page in tactile serrations, rivers unfurl as trade arteries, and city toponyms assert a new order of power and pilgrimage. Two intimate urban views anchor this continental stage: Cusco, seat of Inca memory and Spanish administration, and Mexico City, “Messico,” set upon its famed lakes. Their presence yokes South America’s transformation to a wider imperial system, where capitals, corridors, and commodities bind ocean to ocean under Spanish and Portuguese governance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition’s near-diamond framing amplifies the sense of a discovered treasure, while a lavish strapwork cartouche in the upper right proclaims title and scholarship in the confident idiom of Antwerp print culture. Around the shores, sea monsters curl from myth into margin, emblems of both wonder and warning, as European ships tack and duel—miniature theaters of rivalry that mirror the geopolitical stakes inscribed on land. Decorative flourishes never overwhelm the geography; instead they stage it, guiding the eye from headline to headland, from allegory to evidence, in a choreography characteristic of late sixteenth-century luxury cartography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHydrography and relief are the map’s narrative engines. The Amazon’s sprawling lattice hints at the immensity of the interior, the Orinoco and Río de la Plata trace gateways to imagined riches, and the Andean chain keys the continent’s climate and culture in a single rugged glyph. Coastlines, finely crenellated, attest to mariners’ hard-won soundings, especially along Brazil and the Caribbean approaches. Central America and the islands—stepping-stones of conquest and commerce—are labeled with a colonizer’s vocabulary, framing South America’s stage with the ports, passages, and provisioning points that powered transatlantic exchange.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorically, this sheet distills a European understanding still in flux: a synthesis of Ptolemaic habits and “modern” discoveries refined by the de Jode family’s editorial ambition. Gerard de Jode’s determination to rival Ortelius and Cornelis’s crisp engraving fostered an atlas where empirical novelty met intellectual poise. The spellings—Benzula, Chili—preserve the language of encounter; the urban views of Cusco and Mexico City broadcast imperial legitimacy; the ships and monsters confess both mastery and uncertainty. As a whole, the map reads as a manifesto of the age of exploration: measured, myth-limned, and unmistakably attuned to the politics and possibilities of a newly charted hemisphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCountries and regions on this map\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth America (the continent as a whole)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeru\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVenezuela (Benzula)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrazil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChile (Chili)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMexico (New Spain)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCentral America\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRegions depicted in the Caribbean Sea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotable Features \u0026amp; Landmarks\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHighly ornate strapwork cartouche in the upper right corner displaying the title and publication details.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo inset illustrations:\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCusco (left) depicted as a significant urban center.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMexico City (right), labeled as Messico, illustrating its lakes and urban design.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetailed representation of various river systems and mountainous regions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecorative elements of mythical sea creatures in the surrounding waters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIllustrations of European ships, some engaged in battle, indicating colonial rivalry.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNumerous labeled geographical features with names reflective of the colonial context and historical knowledge at the time.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical and design context\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle: Americae Peruvi Aque Ita ut Postremum Detecta Traditur Recens Delineatio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker: Cornelis de Jode\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDate Created: 1578\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical importance: First map of South America to appear in a large commercial atlas; among the earliest to depict the continent alone.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker context: Gerard de Jode (Cornelis’ father) sought to compete with Ortelius’ atlas; together they shaped late 16th-century cartography.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThemes shown: Political and physical geography; highlights areas governed by the Spanish and Portuguese during the age of exploration.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign\/style: Near-diamond composition with dense topographical engraving.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical context: Reflects the European understanding of South America in the mid-16th century, informed by earlier geographical findings.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca href=\"\/it\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":67670243672455,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":67670243705223,"sku":null,"price":105.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":67670243737991,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":67670243770759,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":67670243803527,"sku":null,"price":105.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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