Descrittione del Mappamondo (Description of the Whole World). Porcacchi, c1606

by Porcacchi, Thomasso

World Map. Descrittione del Mappamondo c1606, with description in Italian. Rare example of Gastaldi map of 1546. Tomasso Porcacchi, Venice c1572.

Original copperplate-engraved double-hemisphere world map with Italian text below and on reverse. Engraved by Girolamo Porro (c1520-1604), for the “Island” book, L’Isole piu Famosa del Mondo (Famous Islands of the World) by Thomasso Porcacchi da Castilione (1530-1585). This map was published in Venice circa 1606.

Based on Gastaldi’s enlarged maps of Ptolemy’s Geographia, Porcacchi incorporated more recent discoveries in this work. First published in 1572, this work was updated and re-issued a number of times. The map engraver, Girolamo Porro, was born in Padua but worked most of his life in Venice, as an illustrator, engraver, map-maker and publisher. He flourished as an engraver between 1567 and 1596. Porro produced only a few maps, but these included the important maps for Porcacchi’s 1572 Isole piu Famose del Mondo, and Ruscelli’s 1574 Italian translation of Ptolemy’s Geographia.

This map is in good condition, with fine later hand-colour.