Universalis Orbis Descriptio

Rare map of the world published in Giovannni Miriti's [Joannes Myritius] geographical and astronomical treatise, Opusculum Geographicum Rarum, printed in Ingolstadt by Wolfgang Eder.

The world map, in oval projection, is embellished with sixteen cherubic wind heads and an impressive decorative border with scrolls, geometric motifs, and botanical ornaments depicting myrtle plants. Although it was published in 1590, stylistically it is reminiscent of the world maps of the mid-16th century.

In fact, one of the most interesting features of the map is the representation Miriti provides of Asia and America, joined as a single land mass, reminiscent of the early work of Giacomo Gastaldi. Greenland is also depicted as part of the American land mass, a trait also found in Gastaldi's early work and those influenced by him. Much of Southeast Asia and East Asia are not represented on this map, including Japan, Korea, the Philippines and the Straits of Malacca, although mainland Southeast Asia is shown and an island appears between it and California. At the lower corners of the map, two rectangular panels contain quotations from Cicero. At the top, the corners of the map contain circular insets of the globe, with Europe, Africa, and Asia on one and the Americas on the other. The engraving style and skill with which this map was made are evident, with bold, artistic contrasts and fine decorative embellishments, including sailing ships and sea creatures. A mermaid is visible near Terra Australis, while a large sword-nosed sea beast swims off the southern coast of Africa. Mountains and rivers define the land masses. The heads of the winds surrounding the projection are all named, by the winds, in text surrounding them.

"Joannes Myritius, also known as Giovanni Miriti, a Maltese scholar, achieved international fame in 1590 with the publication of his scientific work Opusculum Geographicum Rarum. The book was printed twice, once in small format and once in folio on large paper. The book is illustrated with numerous woodcuts depicting spheres, astronomical plates, and calculations used to establish latitudes and longitudes, some of them with moving volvelles. The book also contains two maps; one is titled Peloponneso and shows the southernmost coast of Greece and the western tip of Crete. The other map, a folding globe titled Universalis orbis descriptio, has a decorative border at the head, while at the foot the inscription Cogimur and tabula pictos ediscere mundos indicates to the viewer that he can thus know the worlds, that is, the old and the new. Miriti has placed north - Tramontana - at the top of his map, drawn in oval projection, a technique introduced by Francesco Rosselli and Benedetto Bordone in the early 16th century. The world is surrounded by sixteen heads of wind-blowing cherubs, while two small maps of the continents are drawn at the top corners of the map: Mundus novus sive America on the left and Europe, Africa, Asia on the right. In the lower corner panels are engraved quotations from Cicero. The wood-engraved map measures 192 x 322 mm. The large decorative frame surrounding it is embellished with myrtle branches. It has been said that these are associated with the family name Miriti, which seems to derive its origin from this plant, a member of the myrtle family. In fact, the frame of Miriti's portrait and his coat of arms, reproduced on pages 134 and 135, respectively, of Opusculum Geographicum Rarum, show the same myrtle leaf. Giovanni Miriti seems to have been one of the last geographers to attempt to reconcile new discoveries with earlier theories. In his description of the territories, the continents of Africa and South America are drawn quite faithfully. However, Miriti rejected the idea of separating Asia from North America or North America from Greenland. In his eyes, everything was part of “India extra Gangem” (India after the Gange). The first Gastaldian-style maps of the world, as early as 1560, showed the two continents firmly united into a single territory. To do justice to Miriti, we must note that the separation of Asia from America and the recognition of the latter as a continent in its own right, with all that that entails ethnologically, zoologically and botanically, were not only geographical problems, but also serious theological issues that Miriti would have to overcome before he could obtain ecclesiastical authorization for a book intended for the education of Catholic youth.

The author also shows us, on both sides of his world map, so-called “climata.” These were a means of dividing the Earth into zones related to the length of the longest day in a given area, but since by the 16th century all reputable cartographers had rejected the climata theory and had already begun to divide the world solely into longitudes and latitudes, Miriti used both systems and depicted both climata and longitudes and latitudes” (cf. Joseph Schirò, Le cartographe maltais Giovanni Miriti, pp- 80-83).

Woodcut, example slightly trimmed at sides, otherwise in excellent condition.

Bibliografia

Shirley, The Mapping of The World, #175; Portraits of The World, #7, pp. 10-11; Agius-Vadalà, Maurice, « Giovanni Myriti (1535-1590?) – his life and works », in Proceedings of History Week 1983, Malta, Malta Historical Society, 1984, p. 39-56: Ganado, Albert, The Early Maltese Cartographers,Malta, Malta Map Society, 2011, p. 24-30; Joseph Schirò, Le cartographe maltais Giovanni Miriti, pp- 80-83.