Worldmap in Truncated Cordiform Projection

"Tipus orbis universalis iuxta Ptolemei cosmographo traditionem et Americi Vespucii alior(um)que lustrationes". Weltkarte in Zwiebelform umgeben von blasenden Windgöttern u. Wolkenornamentik sowie Globus u. Armillarsphäre, oben der Titel. Holzschnitt von P. Apian, (Wien) 1520; im Unterrand die Monogramme JK, LF und LA (s.u.). 28,5:41 bzw. Blattgröße 30:43 cm.

Shirley 45; Nordenskiöld, Facs. S. 99 u. Taf. XXXVIII; The World Encompassed 61 u. Taf. XXIII; Suarez, Shedding the Veil 13 u. Taf. 9; Wolff, America S. 66 mit Farbabb.; Karrow 7/1. - Sehr selten. Verkleinerte Version der Karte von Waldseemüller 1507, die Lorenz Fries für die Solinus-Ausgabe von Johannes Camertus lieferte ("Ioannis Camertis in Solini Polyistora"), die wiederum von Lucas Alantsees finanziert worden ist; von allen dreien werden die Initialen im Unterrand angegeben. - Gereinigt u. verstärkt, noch leicht gebräunt, alte Faltstellen geglättet. Je 1 kl. Querriss mittig bzw. unten hinterlegt. Knapp beschnitten u. an 3 Seiten schmal angerändert, dort einige Buchstaben der Himmelsrichtungen sorgfältig nachgezeichnet.

Very rare. One of the first works by the famous scholar Peter Apian, a reduction after Waldseemüller's large 1507 world map. Until today it seems not quite clear, why Apian does not mention W.'s authorship, and also which kind of position Laurent Fries took in the whole project. Most bibliogr. assumed by his initials that he was the woodcutter or "co-daughtsman" (Sh.), but Karrow and Wolff suggest that he delivered first a reduction of W.'s map. Apian adapted the map with only minor changes, but "lowered the truncation of the cordiform to allow his charting of a hypothetical configuration for the southern extreme of the New World" (Suarez p. 52). He also retained W.'s term 'America' in recognition of the supposed discoveries of Amerigo Vespucci, whose voyages hold some mysteries and led to discussions throughout the scholarly world, which partly gave him precedence over Columbus. "It is to this day the earliest obtainable map to name 'America'." (Burden, The Mapping of North America p. XXV). - Uncol. Cleaned and strengthened, still overall light browning, old foldings smoothened. 2 tears at center resp. at bottom of image repaired. Cut close as usual, remargined at 3 sides, there some losses of the cardinals letters (printed outside) carefully supplied in ms.