Terra de lavoratore

Antique woodcut map of North America. Printed in Venice between 1528 and 1565.

Reference 12248

Description

Rare and sought-after map of North America by Benedetto Bordone. Shows the North American continent with the northern part of South America. With several settlements and the name Terra de lavoratore. In the Atlantic Ocean the Azores with the two mythical islands Brasil and Asmaide.

Philip D. Burden notes about this map of North America:

It is purported to have been of Greenland but recent arguments by Suárez point to it being of the North American continent. The name given to this land mass is Terra de lavoratore after João Fernandes of the Azores, who arrived at Cape Farewell, Greenland, in 1500. Stretto pte del modo novo depicts the area corresponding to the latitude of the Caribbean, the land mass shown below it being South America... Although clearly representing America the geography of the coastline is however derivated from the north-east Asian one, the two often being interrelated at this time.

On verso a map of Scandinavia. The geography in the north is based on old Nordic myths, where Norway and Greenland were connected by a land bridge. Labled with Engronelant (Greenland), Norbegia (Norway), Gottia (Götaland, Gothia), Livonia (Livonia) and Datia (Denmark).

From Libro di Benedetto Bordone... de tutte l'isole del mondo..., more commonly known as Isolario of Bordone, which first appeared in Venice in 1528. Three further editions followed in 1534, 1547 and 1565. The maps of all four editions were printed from the same woodblocks in Venice.

Details

Cartographer	Benedetto Bordone
Title	Terra de lavoratore
Publisher, Year	Venice, 1528-1565
Plate Size	8.3 x 14.5 cm (3.3 x 5.7 inches)
Sheet Size	30.0 x 20.7 cm (11.8 x 8.1 inches)
Reference	Burden, P.D.: The Mapping of North America No. 8

Condition

Very good condition.

Cartographer

Benedetto Bordone was an Italian cartographer, chart- and mapmaker who worked in Venice during the beginning of the 16th century. He is best known for his Isolario, a geographical, historical and cultural description of the islands of the Mediterranean and the world, which first appeared in 1528. The genre Isolario was very popular in Italy at that time and was intended as an illustrated guide for sailors. Bordone also describes new discoveries in South and North America for the first time in an Isolario. The book contains a record of Pizarro's conquest of Peru, the earliest known printed report of the event. Of particular interest are 12 woodcut maps of America and the earliest map of Japan as an island printed in Europe.

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Benedetto Bordone: Terra de lavoratore.

Antique woodcut map of North America. Printed in Venice between 1528 and 1565.

North America - Bordone, Benedetto - Terra de lavoratore