Antique Map of Valencia in Southern Spain, 1601

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This is an original antique map titled 'Valentiae Regni olim Contestanorum Si Ptolemaeo, Edentanorum Si Plinio Credimus Typus'. This is … Read more This is an original antique map titled 'Valentiae Regni olim Contestanorum Si Ptolemaeo, Edentanorum Si Plinio Credimus Typus'. This is a historical map of the Kingdom of Valencia in Southern Spain. The title suggests it is based on the geographical accounts of Ptolemy and Pliny, ancient scholars whose works influenced early mapmaking. The map features the region from Murcia to Aragon, and extends inland to include parts of Castille, which are regions in Spain. Details such as towns, rivers, and possibly mountain ranges are marked. This map was included in a French edition of 'Theatrum Orbis Terrarum' by Abraham Ortelius, which is considered to be the first modern atlas. The Theatrum, first published in 1570, compiled maps from various cartographers in a uniform format, and its success prompted the publication of numerous editions over the following decades. The copy mentioned is indicated to have been published around 1601, which would place it relatively early in the history of printed maps. The map's decoration, with ornate cartouches and a depiction of a sailing ship, is characteristic of the period's style and the aesthetic qualities of Ortelius's work. Antique maps like this are not only valuable for their geographical content but also as historical and artistic artifacts. Abraham Ortelius is perhaps the best known and most frequently collected of all sixteenth-century mapmakers. Ortelius started his career as a map colorist. In 1547 he entered the Antwerp guild of St Luke as afsetter van Karten. His early career was as a business man, and most of his journeys before 1560, were for commercial purposes. In 1560, while traveling with Gerard Mercator to Trier, Lorraine, and Poitiers, he seems to have been attracted, largely by Mercator’s influence, towards a career as a scientific geographer. from that point forward, he devoted himself to the compilation of his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World), which would become the first modern atlas. See less