1 8

Ancient map of the World, Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio, 1587

SKU:  193641

Ancient map of the World, Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio, 1587

€62,00 EUR
€0,00 EUR €62,00 EUR
Sale Sold out
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio, often referred to as the Mercator map, was a famous world map created by Gerardus Mercator, a Flemish cartographer, in 1569. Gerardus Mercator is commonly known for his significant contributions to cartography and his development of the Mercator projection.

The Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection that preserves straight lines, making it ideal for navigational purposes. It became widely used for navigation during the Age of Exploration. One of its key features is that it represents lines of constant course, or rhumb lines, as straight lines. This property made it easier for sailors to plot and follow a constant compass bearing, which was crucial for long sea voyages.

The Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio was one of Mercator's most famous maps and played a significant role in the advancement of cartography. It was based on his innovative projection, which allowed for accurate representation of the Earth's surface on a flat map. The map was designed to be practical and accessible to navigators, providing them with a useful tool for planning their journeys.

The Mercator map featured a distinct rectangular shape, with the North Pole placed at the top. It depicted the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as parts of the Americas. The map incorporated various geographical and navigational elements, such as coastlines, rivers, mountains, and important cities. It also included a grid of latitude and longitude lines, facilitating the measurement of distances and navigation.

While the Mercator projection was highly useful for navigation, it introduced distortions in the representation of landmasses at high latitudes. This distortion became more pronounced as one moved away from the equator. The map exaggerated the sizes of land areas in higher latitudes, leading to the common misconception that Greenland is larger than Africa. Despite this distortion, the Mercator projection remained widely used due to its practicality and ease of use for sailors and navigators. 

Materials

Cotton canvas, matte photo paper, fine art paper, pigmented inks.

  • The canvas it's 99 % cotton, 450 gr/sqm;
  • The matte photo paper it's acid-free (archival paper), 190 gr/sqm;
  • The fine art photo paper it's satinated (semi-glossy), 140 gr/sqm.

Shipping & Returns

Dispatching time: 1-2 days.

* AirMail option: The orders will be sent by priority registered mail, usually via client National Post (USPS, Canada Post, Royal Mail, LaPoste, Deutsche Post, PostNL, etc). The delivery times are not guaranteed, sometimes it will take longer and these are beyond our control. Tracking number will be provided. Clients from US and Canada cannot track the parcels as the tracking numbers are not rolled in USPS and Canada Post systems.

* UPS standard: The orders will be sent with UPS expedited option. The delivery time it's between 5-11 days. Tracking number will be provided after dispatch.

* UPS express: : The orders will be sent with UPS express saver. The delivery time it's between 4-7 days. Tracking number will be provided after dispatch.

Framing tips

Both type of materials, paper and canvas prints come rolled and will be need to be taken to your local framers.

The image it's printed with a border of 0.6 " (1.5 cm), for framing purposes only.

If you have already a frame, be sure you send us the exact size of the print that will fit inside the frame. We're printing on vectorial plotters so the size could slightly be more or less with 0.4" (1 cm).

If you plan to have the canvas print stretched on wooden frame, you'll need additional border, so please let us know after placing the order.

The images above was cropped from the image at the biggest size available (keeping the best quality and aspect /ratio), so, for good details please choose biggest dimensions that will suit your preferences / space.

Care Instructions

The print media (canvas or photo paper) could be cleaned only with a dry, soft cloth.

View full details

Wine maps

Explore the rich history of wine through centuries-old maps. Dive into the heritage, culture, and geography of wine regions with our collection of vintage wine maps.

These meticulously preserved historical treasures offer a window into the evolution of viticulture, showcasing how wine regions have transformed over the centuries.

  • Gastronomic maps

    Dive into a world of culinary exploration with our collection of gastronomic maps – your passport to gastronomic adventures like no other. Discover the intricate art of cheese-making and the exquisite world of gourmet delights through our meticulously curated Cheese Maps and Gastronomic Maps.

  • Empires maps

    Travel through history as you explore the territorial expanse, conquests, and cultural influences of some of the world's most powerful civilizations. Our antique maps bring the epic tales of empires to life, offering a captivating glimpse into the rise and fall of these extraordinary realms. See all empires maps >