[Title on Verso] Tabula Prima Aphricae Continent Mauritania Tingitanam, & Mauritaniam Caesariensem

$775

Cartographer(s): Laurent Fries
Date: 1541
Place: Vienne
Dimensions: 45.8 x 28.2 cm (18 x 11.1 in)
Condition Rating: VG+

In stock

SKU: NL-00293 Category:

Colorful 1541 woodcut map of Morocco with old manuscript notations.

Details

This fine Ptolemaic map is from the wood blocks of Laurent Fries, the famous physician, astrologer, and geographer. The map covers northwestern Africa showing the regions that would become Morocco and Algeria and including the Strait of Gibraltar, here called Fretum Herculen. The topography is dominated by large rivers, convoluted mountain ranges; the locations of ancient cities are noted.

Title is from the verso, which contains Latin text.

Cartographer(s):

Laurent Fries

Laurent/Lorenz Fries (ca. 1485-1532) was born in Alsace circa 1490 and studied medicine and mathematics at a number of European universities. He was trained as a physician but was also keenly interested in cartography and medical publications. From 1518-19 Fries is mainly based in Strasbourg, where he was commissioned to compile the first edition of Waldseemüller’s atlas after his death in 1520.

Condition Description

A clean and bright example on paper with a bunch of grapes watermark and a professionally repaired centerfold separation in top blank margin. There are some contemporary manuscript notations in the image.

References

Mickwitz & Miekkavaara #211-11.