America noviter delineata

A beautiful and detailed map of North and South America by H. Hondius and J. Janssonius. The map America noviter delineata was first issued in 1618 by Jodocus Hondius Jr. and is considered a landmark of 17th-century Dutch cartography. The present example represents the fourth state, or the 1631 third edition, which omitted the original decorative borders.

Geographically, the map depicts America before the “California as an Island” phenomenon. The northwest coast of North America is detailed with over 30 place names. The east coast shows an unusual concentration of locations, including Chesdpiooc (Chesapeake), Sanawanook, Hatoraske (Hatteras), Charlefort, and Cap de S. Roman. The Great Lakes and Long Island are absent, while South America is oversized and illustrated with scenes of indigenous peoples and wildlife. The Rio Grande flows into the Gulf of California, and the legendary Seven Cities of Cíbola are included.

The map is richly embellished with sailing ships and sea monsters, characteristic of Dutch cartographic art of the period. Its design reflects both the contemporary geographical imagination and the maritime dominance of the Netherlands during the Golden Age.

Historically, the map also illustrates the collaboration between the Hondius family and Johannes Janssonius. Henricus Hondius, son of Jodocus Hondius, continued his father’s plates and, together with Jansson, expanded the Mercator-Hondius Atlas, which became one of the most important atlases of the 17th century. Their work shaped Dutch cartography significantly and influenced European mapmaking for generations.

If you like to download the image of this map with a resolution of 1200 pixels, please follow the link below.

You can use this image for publication on your personal or commercial websites for free if you set a link to this website. If you need photographs with a higher resolution, please contact us.

America Continent - Hondius, Jodocus - America noviter delineata