By: Girolamo Ruscelli
Date: 1574 (published) Venice
Dimensions: 7.25 x 10.25 inches (18.42 x 26.04 cm) plate size
This Ruscelli map on trapezoidal projection is from his work La Geografia di Claudio Tolomeo Alessandrino. It is based on the work of Ptolemy and focused on approximately the upper third of the African continent. It extends to the east to include Judaea, much of the Arabian Peninsula, and in the northeast all of Asia Minor extending well into the territories of the Middle East, as far as the Persian Gulf. Southern Europe is also depicted including Greece, Italy, southern France and the Iberian Peninsula.
The continent is well-detailed, with numerous river systems and mountain ranges denoted. The Nile is shown starting in the legendary Mountains of the Moon, with many tributaries running into it just north of the mountains. Libya, Aethiopia, Mauritania, Nubia and Egypt are all named and many islands in various bodies of water are included.
Girolamo Ruscelli (1500-1566) was an Italian polymath, humanist, editor, and cartographer active in Venice during the early 16th century. Ruscelli is best known for his important revision of Ptolemy's Geographia, published posthumously in 1574.
Condition: This map is in A condition. Heavily inked plated with some residue, otherwise sharp clear impression. Descriptive Italian text on the verso.
1932 S. Halsted St. #200 Chicago, IL 60608 | P: (312) 496 - 3622