Tierra Nueva

One of the Earliest Printed Maps of the Northeastern Part of America

First state and first edition of Girolamo Ruscelli's 1561 map 'Tierra Nueva', an early and influential map of what would become New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. The map is a further development of the 1548 Gastaldi map of the same region. The Gastaldi was limited entirely to the coastline, while Ruscelli's map attempted to show a network of rivers and is among the first regional maps to show mountains in the interior of North America.

The map shows the discoveries of Cartier and Verrazzano. The reference to Larcadia in the map is from Verrazzano and has been determined to be Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, by Morison. Angoulesme (New York Harbor), Flora (Long Island), and P Refuge (Narragansett Bay), are also from Verrazzano's explorations. Verrazzano originally landed on the coast near Cape Fear, headed south briefly, before turning northward and sailing as far as the coast of Maine, before heading back to France. Tierra De Nuremberg is an early reference to New England.

This first state was printed in 1561 without the plate mark across the top, above the printed image; the second state (1574) bears the plate mark visible across top; a third state (1598) shown sailing ship and sea monster in the Atlantic.

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, in good condition.

Bibliografia

Burden, P., The Mapping of North America, #30. Kershaw, K. A., Early Printed Maps of Canada, pp. 22-23.