Nueva Hispania Tabula Nova

An enlarged version of Gastaldi’s first map of New Spain (1548). 

Nice example of the second state of Ruscelli's regional map of the Southern half of the United States and Mexico, including Florida and Texas.

Ruscelli's map is an enlarged version of Giacomo Gastaldi's map of 1548, except that the Yucatan is no longer shown as an Island. It is the second earliest obtainable map of the Southern half of the US. Not until Wyfliet's maps of 1597 would a better regional representation appear in a printed map. R. Spiritu Santu appears (Mississippi River). California is shown as a Peninsula. The R. Tontonteanc is either the Gila or the Colorado River. Florida and Cuba are named. The placenames reflect the explorations of Pineda, Cabeza de Vaca, and Moscosso.

Perhaps the most influential map of the southwest during the 16th Century.

The second state of the map (1574 and after) can be distinguished from the first by the plate mark running across the bottom of the printed image. In the first state, Tierra Nueva and Nueva Hispania Tabula Nova were printed from a single plate. The third state of the map (1598 and after) adds a ship, with new place names, including Siera Nevad, Calmifor, Mare Pacificum and Golfo Mexicano.

Map taken from Geographia di Claudio Tolomeo edited by Girolamo Ruscelli, published in Venice in several editions between 1561 and 1598. The maps is based on the Geografia by Giacomo Gastaldi (1548), who probably also personally drew these maps, which were engraved by the brothers Livio and Giulio Sanuto.

The peculiarity of these maps is that they are engraved two for plate and subsequently cut; this is why the copper sign only appears on three sides of the map. Ruscelli's text and his maps are considered to be the best modern atlas up to the first version of Abraham Ortelius' Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (1570).

Only their widespread diffusion prevents a sustained evaluation in the antiquarian market. In fact, the work had a first edition in 1561, printed by Vincenzo Valgrisi who also edited the 1562 reprint. There are three editions signed by Giordano Ziletti (two in 1564 and one in 1574), while in 1597 it was published by the Calignani brothers. All these editions contain 64 plates. In 1598 and 1599 the two editions edited by Giuseppe Rosaccio and printed by the heirs of Melchior Sessa came to light. These last two editions include 69 plates; in fact, Rosaccio's map of the planisphere and continents has been added.

Etching and engraving with fine later hand colour, in good condition.

Bibliografia

Martin & Martin Plate 3, Burden 31.