1730 Novus Orbis sive America Meridionalis et Septentrionalis...

By: Matthaus Seutter Date: 1730 (circa) Augsburg Dimensions: 22.5 x 19.5 inches (57.15 x 49.5 cm) This is a lavishly engraved and hand colored map of the Americas by Matthaus Seutter. Northwestern Canada is absent of the map and California is depicted as an island, making it one of the last maps to do so. The Mississippi river is mapped too far west of its proper location with two large western lakes contributing to its source while the Great Lakes are oversized a exude a rather unusual shape. South America is portrayed to be much wider than in actuality and include a mythical lake in the center of the continent. Routes of some great explorers including Ferdinand Magellan and Sir Francis Drake are charted and color coded between the western coasts and the Salomon Islands which are delineated much too far east. Drawing an enormous amount of attention, the decorative title cartouche and descriptive vignette include scenes with native peoples, flora, fauna, Europeans and themes of Christi