ANGLIAE REGNI FLORENTISSIMI NOVA DESCRIPTIO

Key Properties

Edition: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Additamentum, 1573)

Language: Latin (text on verso)

Collation & Technical Description

Copper engraving with old hand-colouring. Approx. 20½ × 15½ in. Page number 6.B at lower right on the Latin verso. Van den Broecke 19, state 1 (with two ‘60’s in the scale).

Condition

The example looks attractive, with generous margins, a good impression and old hand-colouring. There is light overall discolouration and a few minor handling marks.

References & Bibliography

Van den Broecke 19 (state 1 of 3, with two ‘60’s in the scale).

After the manuscript of Humphrey Llwyd of Denbigh (d. 1568); introduced in the Additamentum of 1573 and retained in later editions of the Theatrum.

Description

An attractive map of England and Wales from Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. The decorative ships, sea monsters, Renaissance cartouches and dense topographical engraving make the sheet immediately recognisable as an Ortelius map.

The plate was added to Ortelius's atlas in 1573. The page number 6.B is visible at lower right on the verso. This may point to an early Latin Additamentum impression of 1573, but deserves confirmation from the scale-bar and the full verso.

An early impression with old hand-colouring is of real interest, and England is a broad international collecting field.

Notable features: Possibly an early Latin impression of 1573; Strong name and broad international subject; Renaissance cartouches, ships and sea monsters.

Historical Significance

One of the earliest widely circulated modern maps of England and Wales, based on Humphrey Llwyd's manuscript and disseminated across Europe through Ortelius's Theatrum, the first modern atlas.

Provenance

Not established.