1635 Asia noviter delineata

This is a fine example of Willem Blaeu's iconic map of Asia flanked by pairs of carto-figures representing the various peoples of the continent and topped with nine views of important Asian cities and ports of the 17th century. The map presents many geographical and decorative aspects of this map worth noting. In the north the long-believed existence of the Northeast Passage is revealed as the land mass Nova Zembla is mapped with no east coast and a clear passage is shown to exist to the Anian Straight that opens to the Pacific. Korea is featured as an island just west of the abnormally shaped Japan. The Great Wall of China can be found separating China from the Mongolians of Tartaria. The Spice Islands are depicted with most of the north and west coasts mapped in detail while many of the south and eastern coasts are blank. This shows the extent of Dutch cartographic knowledge and their areas of occupation during the mid-17th century spice trade. Several indigenous animals are scattere