The Linschoten Maps – Typus orarum maritarum Guineae Manicongo & Angolae ultra promontoriom Bonae Spei usq…and Delineatio Orarum Maritimarum Terra vulgo indigetatae Terra do Natal item Sofalae, Mozambicae & Melinde… – Langren, Arnold Florent van

These two maps first appeared in Jan Huygen van Linschoten’s Itinerario, published in four parts in Amsrterdam 1595-96. An extremely rare set of both maps, East and West. Jan Huygen van Lindschoten, Dutch voyager, (1563 – 1611) entered the service of the Archbishop of Goa, and accompanied him to the Indies. In 1589 he returned to Holland, and there he wrote a History of his Travels. This was illustrated with maps and views, etc. by the van Langrens, a famous family of engravers and globe makers of Dutch origin, who worked in the 16th and 17th centuries. Linschoten was also active in the Dutch attempt to find a North East Passage, sailing with Barents in his Arctic expedition of 1594. The Western section, Typus orarum… is a maritime map of the coast from Guinae round the Cape to Rio do Infante, and extending inland as far as Lake Zaire (complete with mermaid sirens) the Kingdom of Monomotapa and his capital on the Rio de Spirito Santo (Zambesi). Heavily ornamented title in Latin and Dutch within a large cartouche surmounted by the arms of Portugal. The scale of miles is likewise ornamented and a large cartouche along the bottom depicts perspective views of Ascension and St. Helena in two compartments. The sea is covered with rhumb lines and the space that is left is filled with two large compass roses, sailing ships and sea monsters. The companion map (Delineatio Orarum…) to the above showing the coast from R. do Infante to Doara and the tip of the island of Ceylon. Title in Latin and Dutch within a large interlacing cartouche, 16 and 32 point compass roses, a naval engagement, school of whales and small vignettes on the land of elephants, lions and the Christian emperor Prester John. This is the earliest and most decorative special map of the East coast of Africa embracing eastern Cape, Natal, Portuguese East and Kenya. Both maps first appeared in J. Huygen van Lindschoten’s “Itinerario, Voyage ofte Schipvaert an J. H. van L. naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indien, published in four parts, Amserdam Corn. Claesz. 1955-6. There were later Dutch editions in 1605, 1614, 1623 & 1644, Latin edition in 1599, French editions 1610, 1619, 1638 and an English edition of the maps only in 1598. Bibliography Tooley, R. V., Collector’s Guite to Maps of the African Continent and Southern Africa, Carata Press, 1969, pp.67

Publisher: Corn. Claesz
Date Published: 1595

Dimensions: Framed: 131.5 x 60cm – Each: 53.5 x 39.5cm (Plate mark)