Ptolemaei Cognita

Attractive Ptolemaic worldmap of G. Ruscelli from "La Geografia di Claudio Tolomeo Alessandrino". Showing the known world described in the original Geography of Ptolemy around 100 D.C. The map is based on the 1548 Geography edition of A. Mattioli and newly engraved for this Venice edition. This is the first edition of this Ruscelli map since it has different title and is based on a revised conical projection. Otherwise the map is similar to that first issued in 1561 (Shirley 133). Italian text on verso.

Two minor brown spots, otherwise excellent conditions.

Girolamo Ruscelli, an Italian Alchemist, physician and cartographer, was born around 1504 in Viterbo. He has revised the Ptolemy Geography, which was issued from 1561 until 1599 in Venice. The new copper engraved maps are based on G. Gastaldi's edition of 1548. He died 1566 in Venice.