1574 Orbis Descriptio

This remarkably accurate for-its-time Ruscelli map is from his atlas Geografia, and is the first known double hemisphere world map to appear in an atlas. Ruscelli based his work on the earlier work of Giacomo Gastaldi’s world map of 1548, his oval world projection, and presented it on Roger Bacon’s circular projection. Ruscelli’s atlas is considered the most comprehensive to have been produced between that of Martin Waldseemüller’s Geographiae in 1513, and Abraham Ortelius’ Theatrum of 1570. The map is beautifully engraved on copper, making it possible to render far more detail than those produced by woodcut, which before this time had been the standard for printing. Ruscelli’s and Gastaldi’s use of copperplate changed the medium for cartographers and the majority of cartographic works were subsequently produced using this medium. The continents are remarkably accurately depicted for the time. Gastaldi always sought the most up-to-date geographical information available, making the mod